-'  '"^H  ] 


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Analytical  Advertising 


Analytical  Advertising 


By 

William  A.  Shryer 


Publishers 

Business  Service  Corporation 

Detroit,  Michigan 

1912 


.2- 


<2_«^ 


Copyright  1912  by  William  A.  Sliryer 
All  Rights  Reserved 


BNar 


Contents 

Page 

Sensation  1 1 

Attention  and  Attention  Values  15 

Association  27 

Suggestion  35 

Reason  45 

Instincts  and  Habit  53 

The  Emotions  59 

Imagination  65 

Cumulative  Value  77 

Advertising  Record  Keeping  87 

Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising  97 

More  Records  of  Consecutive  Showings  111 

An  Exceptional  Business  and  Its  Records  121 

A  Women's  Proposition  131 

A  Two-Inch  Copy  Record  137 

An  Art  School  Exhibit  149 

A  Four  Years'  Record  157 

Relative  Values  of  Small  and  Large  Copy  171 

Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium  181 

A  Small  But  Consistent  Puller  195 

Advertising  a  City  199 

Waste  in  General  Publicity  211 

Conclusion                                *  225 


4325S9 


Introduction 

Literary  charm  and  scholarly  execution  are  slow  to  re- 
spond to  the  halting  inspirations  of  a  practical  mind.  As 
an  apology  for  an  exposition  in  many  spots  abstruse,  I 
plead  an  innocence  of  literary  skill  that  merits  little  com- 
ment. To  the  practical  advertiser  small  opportunity  is 
afforded  to  emulate  the  style  of  a  Macauley  or  a  Stevenson. 

As  an  introduction  to  any  work  on  advertising  many 
consider  that  some  definition  should  preface  philosophiz- 
ing. I  am  not  inclined  to  regard  this  traditional  conven- 
tion seriously,  for  as  the  greatest  philosopher  of  them  all 
discovered,  we  can  know  nothing  except  what  our  own 
sense  impressions  bring  us.  It  is  unnecessary  to  possess 
the  genius  of  a  Kant  to  realize  that  the  conception  of 
advertising  held  by  every  individual  is  truly  his  own,  so 
diversified  are  his  impressions,  and  so  personal  his  reflec- 
tions on  their  relative  importance. 

It  appears  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  a  definition  of 
advertising.  It  is  much  more  important  to  understand 
the  principles  that  underlie  it,  than  to  speculate  on  what 
it  is  and  does.  The  phenomena  of  advertising  are  ubi- 
quitous, but  their  law  and  order  baffling  and  obscure. 

The  concern  of  every  intelligent  advertiser  should  be 
to  discover  principles,  that  he  may  work  in  accord  with 
them  to  his  greatest  profit.  This  premise  assumes  that 
advertising,  in  connection  with  any  business,  is  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  selling  at  the  greatest  profit. 

This  point  granted  we  may  turn  to  our  real  problem, 
which  is  an  understanding  of  the  laws  that  underlie  ad- 
vertising results.  Those  results  certainly  depend  on 
mental  laws.  It  is  equally  obvious  that  in  direct  pro- 
portion to  his  understanding  of  the  human  mind  one  is 
successful  or  unsuccessful.  This  does  not  mean  that  a 
successful  advertiser  must  have  acquired  his  knowledge  of 
men  from  a  study  of  books.  Many  an  expert  in  mental 
science  has  developed  a  rare  power  with  no  obligation  to 
philosophical  research.  To  many,  however,  handicapped 
by  temperament  or  environment,  such  a  personal  knowl- 
edge of  human  nature  seems  denied. 


10  Introduction 

Before  attempting  an  analysis  of  mental  activity  it  is 
necessary  to  appreciate  that  no  exact  science  of  mind  ex- 
ists, exactly  as  there  is  no  science  of  advertising.  As  old 
as  thought,  is  the  record  of  the  philosopher  and  his  works. 
Isolated  facts,  considered  universally  true,  have  stood 
out  from  time  to  time  in  the  works  of  many.  It  has  been 
a  difficult  task  to  make  of  them  a  science  of  the  mind. 
Only  within  the  last  thirty  years  has  any  attempt  been 
made  to  reduce  the  study  to  a  laboratory  basis. 

This  branch  of  human  knowledge  has  been  branded 
with  a  name  responsible  for  more  abuse  than  any  science 
should  be  expected  to  endure.  This  name  is  psychology, 
which  is  not  nearly  so  frightful  as  its  sound  may  imply.  It 
has  suffered  much  scorn,  but  bids  fair  to  come  into  its 
own,  by  virtue  of  a  commercial  value  hitherto  ignored. 

A  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  most  important  phases 
of  mental  activity  is  of  value  to  any  business  man.  It  is 
especially  helpful  to  the  advertiser.  A  portion  of  this 
book  is  devoted  to  the  practical  application  of  psychology 
to  every  advertiser's  problem.  The  entire  discussion  is 
one  that  has  resulted  from  my  own  experience  as  an  ad- 
vertiser, and  is  not  the  result  of  any  abstract  theorizing. 

An  application  of  the  psychological  principles  discussed 
will  be  found  of  practical  value  in  examining  the  material 
that  follows  this  portion  of  the  book.  In  publishing 
actual  results  of  the  advertising  done  by  a  number  of 
going  businesses,  a  precedent  is  established  that  I  trust  will 
be  welcome.  The  labor  incident  to  gathering  and  tabu- 
lating this  data  has  been  as  instructive  and  helpful  as  I 
trust  their  study  may  prove  to  those  who  read  them. 
Having  no  sympathy  with  the  secrecy  that  so  widely  pre- 
vails I  present  these  actual  records,  with  a  realization 
that  such  a  step  must  be  taken  by  someone,  at  some  time, 
and  trusting  that  no  time  is  better  than  the  present. 

Foreseeing  a  revision  of  the  tabulated  material  I  will 
welcome  any  contributions  of  a  similar  nature.  Before 
advertising  may  become  a  science  thousands  of  such 
records  must  be  gathered  and  analyzed.  If  the  present 
contributions  serve  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  en- 
couraging similar  exhibits,  the  effort  will  have  been  well 
expended. 


Sensation 

Advertising  depends  on  the  mental  activity  of  human 
beings.  The  better  any  advertiser  understands  this  men- 
tal activity  the  stronger  his  advertising  should  be.  It  is 
unfortunate  for  most  advertisers  that  they  realize  so  little 
the  complex  nature  of  their  actual  problem,  and  conse- 
quently devote  practically  no  time  to  the  real  funda- 
mentals. The  latter  are  undeniably  the  various  laws 
governing  the  actions  of  the  mind.  A  reasonable  explana- 
tion for  this  indifference  may  be  the  acknowledged  lack 
of  final  scientific  proof  as  to  exactly  what  the  mind  is, 
exactly  what  it  does  and  how  it  does  it.  The  very  nature 
of  the  problem  precludes  the  examination,  physically,  of 
a  man's  brain  during  consciousness,  and  it  is  extremely 
doubtful  whether  such  an  experiment  would  prove  any- 
thing at  all,  were  it  possible  to  perform  it.  It  becomes 
necessary,  therefore,  to  assume  a  condition  relative  to 
man's  consciousness.  Nearly  every  philosopher  has  done 
this  according  to  the  flights  of  his  fancy,  but  the  present 
conception  of  the  scientific  psychologist  is  a  theory  made 
plausible  by  "corroborative"  and  experimental  evidence. 
Being  "plausible"  it  certainly  may  be  as  unquestionably 
accepted  by  us,  as  it  is  by  those  who  have  evolved  it. 

This  theory  assumes  that  the  seat  of  conscious  mental 
activity  is  in  the  brain.  The  brain  is  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  orderly  bundles  of  nerve  matter.  Any  mental 
activity  is  the  result  of  a  nerve  current  which  passes 
from  a  sense  organ  to  a  nerve  center  in  the  brain.  A  ray 
of  light  falls  on  the  retina,  the  ending  of  the  optic  nerve 
in  the  retina  is  stimulated,  this  stimulus  is  carried  over  a 
nerve  to  a  nerve  center  in  the  brain,  which  receives  a 
sensation.     This  sensation  is  a  mental  activity. 

It  is  beheved  that  none  other  than  a  baby  can  secure 
"pure"  sensations.  No  one  knows  how  the  stimuli  are 
carried  from  the  nerve  endings  to  the  brain,  but  the  theory 
is  that  all  stimuli  follow  "brain  paths,"  and  that  these 
paths  cross  and  recross  one  another.  Other  than  in  a 
babe,  at  least  two  things  prevent  a  "pure  sensation." 
Either  before  or  at  the  time  the  nerve  center  receives  the 

11 


12  Analytical  Advertising 

sensation,  other  nerve  centers  discharge  previously  re- 
ceived sensations.  These  simultaneous  discharges  of 
other  nerve  centers  are  occasioned  by  "associations"  of 
some  nature,  which  so  modify  the  original  stimulus  as  to 
make  its  reception  and  recognition  impossible  as  a  "pure" 
sensation.  Just  what  does  happen  can  not  be  known, 
nor  is  the  above  description  of  the  possible  result  known 
to  be  even  an  approximately  accurate  one.  It  is  most 
certain,  however,  that  no  single  brain  action  is  a  simple 
action,  and  it  is  further  certain  that  no  impression  is  re- 
ceived without  being  colored,  affected,  or  in  some  way 
changed,  either  during  its  transmission  to  the  nerve  cen- 
ter, at  the  time  it  is  recorded,  or  immediately  after.  The 
important  point  is  that  conceptions  in  the  brain  of  almost 
any  nature  are  variously  associated  with  every  new  stim- 
ulus as  the  latter  is  in  process  of  performing  its  function, 
with  the  result  that  everything  we  know  or  learn  is  re- 
sponsible for  a  mixed  sensation  instead  of  a  pure  one. 

It  is  definitely  known  that  certain  nerves,  called 
afferent  nerves,  carry  to  the  brain  nerve  currents  induced 
by  the  stimulation  of  nerve  endings.  These  nerve  end- 
ings are  located  in  the  special  organs  of  sight,  smell, 
hearing  and  taste.  There  are  also  special  nerve  endings 
for  heat  and  cold,  for  pain,  motion,  etc.  We  will  not 
consider  at  this  point  any  discussion  of  specific  results 
following  possible  brain  action  after  a  sensation  is  se- 
cured, except  to  say  that  every  idea,  thought,  concep- 
tion, perception,  or  whatever  you  have  a  mind  to  call  the 
brain  "stuff"  into  which  sensations  are  converted,  have 
a  most  certain  effect  on  every  new  sensation  that  is  re- 
corded. A  salient  point,  of  great  practical  value,  is  a  thor- 
ough realization  that  no  sensation  or  idea  can  be  put  into 
a  man's  brain  in  a  "pure"  form.  It  is  bound  to  be  colored 
by  an  immediate  association  with  other  ideas,  which 
occurs  automatically,  so  to  speak,  and  this  result  is  more 
complex  in  direct  ratio  with  the  complexity  of  the  sensa- 
tions received. 

Other  than  the  realization  of  this  peculiar  association 
ever  present  in  all  mental  activity  there  is  no  point  of 
especial  value  to  the  advertiser  in  a  study  of  "Sensation," 
except  to  consider  what  is   known   as  "Weber's   Law." 


Sensation  13 

Ernest  Heinrich  Weber  discovered  a  law  of  sensation 
which  Wm.  Wundt  expresses  as  follows:  "The  increase 
of  the  stimulus  necessary  to  produce  an  increase  of  the 
sensation  bears  a  constant  ratio  to  the  total  stimulus." 
In  ])roving  this  law  Weber  made  most  exhaustive  ex- 
periments, the  total  number  of  which  I  find  no  record.  A 
German  professor,  Herr  Fechner  of  Leipsig,  attempted 
to  modify  this  law,  with  very  indifferent  success,  and 
gives  a  record  of  24,576  separate  experiments  on  muscu- 
lar sensation  alone,  which  may  give  a  fair  idea  of  the 
labor  of  Herr  Weber,  who  worked  out  his  law  from  simi- 
lar experiments  on  pressure,  warmth,  sound,  light  and 
muscular  sensation. 

The  significance  of  the  law  is  this:  A  certain  sensa- 
tion is  secured  by,  let  us  assume,  a  certain  volume  of 
light.  To  increase  the  sensation  so  that  it  may  be  recog- 
nized by  the  subject  as  a  stronger  sensation  it  is  necessary 
to  increase  the  light  1-100  times.  With  muscular  sensa- 
tion the  stimulus  must  be  increased  1-17,  and  for  pres- 
sure, warmth  or  sound  sensations  the  increase  in  stimulus 
to  secure  an  added  sensation  is  1-3.  It  is,  of  course, 
an  obvious  condition  that  none  of  our  sense  organs  can 
continue  to  record  sensations  above  a  certain  point.  By 
increasing  the  stimuli  on  the  bases  above  quoted,  a  per- 
ceptible increase  in  sensation  will  be  recorded  up  to  a 
certain  point,  when  a  limit  of  reaction  is  reached,  after 
which  pain  will  obliterate  every  other  sensation. 

The  advertiser  is,  of  course,  directly  interested  in  but 
one  of  the  senses,  insofar  as  creating  a  "sensation"  is 
concerned,  and  that  is  the  sense  of  sight,  through  which 
he  reaches  the  brain  of  his  possible  customer  by  means 
of  the  printed  advertisement.  This  very  slight  discussion 
of  sensation  is  merely  an  introductory  step  before  we  con- 
sider one  of  the  most  important  phases  of  mental  activity 
from  an  advertiser's  viewpoint,  which  is  that  of  atten- 
tion. Attention  is  the  first  thing  any  advertiser  must 
command  for  his  copy,  which  makes  an  understanding  of 
its   fundamental   principles   essential. 

Before  taking  up  this  point  there  is  an  activity  of  the 
mind  strictly  dependent  on  sensation  that  must  be  con- 
sidered, as  it  is  a  factor  in  preventing  attention.      This  is 


14  Analytical  Advertising 

the  activity  of  the  mind  termed  by  James  as  "The  Stream 
of  Consciousness."  Every  normal  mind,  during  con- 
sciousness, is  constantly  active.  This  activity  always 
has  its  inception  from  a  sensation.  One  sensation  may 
be  sufficient  to  keep  the  mind  active  for  a  number  of 
moments,  through  associations  set  up  in  the  brain  paths. 
To  cite  a  definite  example  of  my  meaning,  I  will  assume 
that  you  receive  as  pure  a  sensation  as  possible  by  look- 
ing at  a  wall  painted  yellow.  Recording  the  sensation  of 
yellow  in  the  brain  may  occasion  any  number  of  possible 
nerve  center  discharges  at  the  same  time,  one  of  which 
we  will  assume  to  be  the  association  of  yellow  with 
Chinamen.  This  association  will  occasion  an  association 
with  Japanese,  which  in  turn  suggests  Russia,  which  may 
as  rapidly  turn  to  the  Czar,  and  in  turn  to  Speaker 
Reid,  then  the  House  of  Representatives,  Uncle  Joe  Can- 
non, Danville,  111.,  the  Wabash  River,  and  so  on,  just  as 
long  as  no  new  sensation  is  recorded  from  outside  to 
break  the  stream  of  connected  associations.  This  stream 
of  thought,  during  consciousness,  is  always  present  in  the 
normal  human  being,  and  you  have  only  to  consider  that 
such  a  process  is  now  going  on  in  your  own  mind,  and 
continues  to  be  present  during  your  everj^  waking  hour. 
The  interruptions  to  this  stream  invariably  come  from 
without,  through  the  various  nerve  endings  that  supply 
sensations  to  the  brain.  It  is  the  initial  problem  of  the 
advertiser  to  interrupt  this  stream  in  every  man  he  hopes 
to  sell,  and  his  first  step  is  to  wrest  his  attention.  The 
consideration  of  this  problem  will  be  the  topic  of  our  next 
chapter. 


Attention  and  Attention  Values 

Considering  the  many  avenues  for  recording  sensations, 
and  the  undoubted  presence  of  hundreds  of  stimuli  sent 
to  the  brain  every  second,  we  give  attention  to  very 
few,  and  rarely  to  more  than  one  at  a  time.  Herr  Wundt 
made  exhaustive  experiments  and  found  that  with  con- 
scious effort  the  human  mind  was  able  to  give  intelligent 
attention  to  never  more  than  two  things  at  a  time.  He 
was  unable,  even,  to  watch  a  rapidly  revolving  hand  on 
a  clock  and  note  exactly  its  position  at  the  stroke  of  a 
bell  he  was  waiting  to  hear.  We  all  know  that  trick 
musicians  are  able  to  play  four,  five  and  even  six  instru- 
ments at  once,  but  practically  all  are  played  through  an 
established  habit,  which  eliminates  entirely  any  real  prob- 
lem of  attention.  It  is  practically  impossible  for  us  to 
believe  the  story  told  of  Julius  Caesar,  that  he  dictated 
four  letters  while  he  wrote  the  fifth.  Each  letter  de- 
manded attention,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  such 
a  story  is  no  more  reliable  than  many  other  marvelous 
performances  proved  ridiculous  by  the  "higher  criticism." 

The  stream  of  consciousness  referred  to  in  the  previous 
chapter  is  the  prevailing  obstacle  that  prevents  steady 
attention.  Stimuli  of  light,  warmth,  sound,  feeling,  taste, 
etc.,  are  being  constantly  carried  to  the  brain,  but  the 
attention  of  the  mind  is  rarely  given  to  hundreds  of 
these  stimuli,  which  fail  absolutely  to  create  a  sensation, 
owing  to  the  attention  being  centered  where  its  immediate 
interest  lies.  The  field  of  attention  is  a  very  narrow  one, 
apparently,  and  as  the  advertiser  is  practically  restricted 
to  only  one  sense,  that  of  sight,  his  chance  for  gaining  the 
attention  is  restricted  all  the  more. 

Any  sudden  or  intensive  stimulus  will  invariably  at- 
tract the  attention  of  the  normal  mind,  which  is  purely 
involuntary.  The  same  kind  of  attention  is  demanded  by 
stimuli  of  an  instinctive  character,  which  depend  on  the 
character  of  their  nature  rather  than  on  the  volume  or 
force  of  their  impressions.  The  advertiser  is  not  con- 
cerned in  either  of  these  methods  of  gaining  attention, 
as  both  may  be  considered  passive. 

15 


16  Analytical  Advertising 

The  advertiser  desires  to  secure  active  and  voluntary 
attention.  He  may  do  this  in  either  of  two  ways,  or  better 
still,  through  a  combination  of  both. 

First,  he  may  gain  attention  through  the  presentation 
of  some  image  to  the  eye  that  gains  immediate  interest 
on  account  of  the  thing  itself,  or 

Second,  he  may  gain  attention  through  an  image  that 
derives  its  value  from  the  interest  that  is  immediately 
occasioned,  through  the  associations  it  arouses. 

It  is  obvious  that  if  an  advertisement  contains  an  at- 
tention compelling  interest,  due  to  its  form,  contour  or 
illustration,  which  in  their  turn  immediately  associate 
themselves  in  the  minds  of  the  readers  w  ith  a  conception 
impelling  purchase,  such  an  advertisement  has  secured 
the  maximum  of  attention  value  spoken  of  above  as  a 
combination  of  the  two. 

In  compelling  attention  to  an  advertisement,  a  factor 
quite  as  difficult  to  overcome  as  that  of  the  stream  of 
consciousness,  is  what  might  be  characterized  (unscien- 
tifically) as  a  dispersed  attention.  This  is  the  roving  lack 
of  concentration  every  reader  of  a  magazine  or  paper 
displays  in  purposely  seeking  the  advertisement  of  suffi- 
cient attention  value  to  focus  his  interest.  No  one  makes 
the  slightest  effort  to  center  his  attention  on  any  object 
except  for  the  immediate  or  remote  interest  he  expects  to 
experience.  An  advertisement  is  not  read  except  as  it 
impels  attention  through  interest. 

Two  very  important  principles  relative  to  attention  are 
given  expression  by  Prof.  James,  and  bear  directly  on  the 
advertiser's  problem,  "There  is  no  such  thing  as  volun- 
tary attention  sustained  for  more  than  a  few  seconds  at  a 
time."  And:  "No  one  can  possibly  attend  continuously 
to  an  object  that  does  not  change."  Helmholtz  combines 
these  two  ideas  by  saying  that  if  we  wish  to  keep  the  at- 
tention on  one  and  the  same  object  we  must  seek  con- 
stantly to  find  out  something  new  about  the  latter.  The 
advertiser  who  bears  these  principles  in  mind  must  so 
construct  his  advertisements  that  the  inhibitions  ever 
present  due  to  these  facts  must  be  overcome  by  him 
through  the  very  nature  of  his  copy.  The  one  great  prin- 
ciple of  copy  writing  that  these  principles  suggest  will  be 


Attention  and  Attention  Values  17 

considered  later  under  the  heading  of  imagination,  which 
has  been  a  quahty  almost  entirely  overlooked  by  most 
advertisers,  and  practically  unmentioned  by  any  writer 
so  far  consulted.  I  will  attempt  to  show  later  that  imagi- 
nation will  not  only  supply  the  defects  of  attention  value 
above  mentioned,  but  actually  attain  attention  most 
effectively  through  it. 

The  idea  suggested  in  the  preceding  paragraph  is  a 
digression  from  the  immediate  subject  and  the  latter  is 
sufficiently  interesting  to  the  advertiser  to  permit  of  no 
serious  deviation.  As  practically  no  phase  of  mental 
activity  is  simple,  a  discussion  of  any  almost  necessitates 
reference  to  others,  even  when  it  seems  inadvisable  to 
discuss  the  complexities  that  suggest  themselves. 

This  division  of  interest  in  considering  any  phase  of 
our  subject  is  as  indicative  of  the  general  vacillating  char- 
acter of  the  stream  of  consciousness  as  one  might  desire. 
Is  is  certainly  true  of  our  consideration  of  attention, 
viewed  from  an  advertiser's  standpoint,  as  the  most  logical 
consideration  of  its  value  at  this  point  appears  to  neces- 
sitate a  jump  from  psychology  to  what  may  be  termed  a 
real  science.  The  latter  is  the  science  of  optics,  which 
certainly  deserves  more  thoughtful  consideration  than 
most  advertisers  have  seen  fit  to  give  it. 

As  an  advertisement  secures  its  attention  value  from 
either  an  inherent  interest  or  a  suggestive  interest  it  is 
very  clear  that  in  the  one  case  the  rules  of  optics  may 
make  or  mar  an  advertisement  entirely,  and  in  the  other 
assist  materially  or  detract  decidedly.  The  average  ad- 
vertiser is  fairly  convinced  that  something  about  his 
advertisement  should  serve  the  purpose  of  attracting  at- 
tention. Knowing  little  or  nothing  of  the  principles  in- 
volved he  is  quite  as  likely  to  insert  an  illustration  for 
this  purpose,  with  no  conception  of  its  most  effective 
position  in  the  copy,  with  no  understanding  of  the  value 
of  association  or  inhibition,  and  quite  possibly  with  no 
idea  at  all  beyond  printing  something  that  ought  to  catch 
somebody's  eye. 

It  is  also  quite  possible  that  a  wretchedly  composed 
advertisement  may  make  sales,  and  even  make  a  profit- 
able number.     It  should  be  a  logical  conclusion  that  if 


18  Analytical  Advertising 

such  is  the  case,  the  maximum  results  would  follow  an  ideal 
arrangement  of  the  same  copy.  The  object  of  every  adver- 
tiser should  be  to  secure  the  maximum  results  from  the  min- 
imum expenditure  at  all  times,  and  an  understanding  of 
a  few  fundamentals  is  therefore  of  value  to  any  of  us. 

I  have  neither  sufficient  understanding  nor  inclination 
to  attempt  a  scientific  dissertation  on  the  science  of 
optics.  It  would  bore  almost  anyone  were  it  sufficiently 
accurate  or  exhaustive.  There  are  plenty  of  works  on 
the  subject  accessible  to  all,  and  a  most  worthy  start  has 
been  made  to  apply  its  principles  to  advertising  by  the 
Association  of  National  Advertising  Managers.  The 
chairman  of  the  latter's  educational  committee,  Wm. 
H.  Ingersoll,  of  New  York  City,  may  supply  information 
to  those  who  would  like  to  learn  of  this  committee's  re- 
searches. There  are  no  limits  to  the  problems  subject  to 
actual  solution  by  test  in  this  field.  A  small  fraction  of 
the  millions  wasted  for  advertising  every  year  by  the  ad- 
vertisers who  belong  to  the  Association  may  eventually 
be  directed  to  a  campaign  of  experiment  bound  to  save 
wasteful  future  expenditures,  and  at  the  same  time  prove 
as  profitable  from  a  publicity  standpoint  as  a  large  pro- 
portion of  their  expenditures  certainly  merit. 

Our  present  concern  with  this  fundamental  subject  is 
the  barest  outline  of  the  several  factors  bound  to  enter  in 
the  construction  of  every  advertisement,  to  ignore  which 
weakens  every  piece  of  copy.  The  primary  object  of  all 
copy  is  to  secure  attention,  and  attention  presumes  inter- 
est. We  are  interested  in  pleasing  things,  which  is  a  fact 
about  every  one.  An  advertisement,  being  printed,  as- 
sumes a  definite  form,  and  the  most  pleasing  form  adds 
the  greatest  degree  of  interest,  if  viewed  from  that  angle 
alone.  The  forms  of  an  advertisement  follow  the  same 
principles  as  those  of  art  relative  to  forms,  of  which  there 
are  three  degrees.  The  lowest  form  is  that  of  regularity, 
the  next  is  that  of  symmetry,  and  the  highest  form  is  that 
of  harmony. 

The  form  of  advertisements  has  been  as  definitely  set- 
tled for  the  advertiser  as  though  decreed  by  law.  This 
form  is  that  of  a  rectangle  of  which  the  lowest  form  is  the 
square.     The  square  itself  has  every  requisite  of  regu- 


Attention  and  Attention  Values 


19 


larity,  and  is  correspondingly  pleasing,  A  more  pleasing 
form  is  that  of  the  oblong,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  90% 
of  the  advertisements  printed  assume  this  form.  The 
oblong  has  symmetry,  and  being  a  higher  form  of  art,  is 
more  pleasing  to  the  eye,  and  has  more  attention  value 
than  a  square.  The  highest  form  must  be  obtained  by 
the  arrangement  of  copy  within  the  oblong  itself,  when 
harmony  heightens  the  pleasing  effect  to  the  maximum 
degree.  The  arrangement  of  copy  within  the  square  or 
within  the  oblong,  should  also  attempt  to  realize  these 
three  forms  of  art,  and  if  artistically  conceived  heighten 
the  effect  correspondingly  as  they  reflect  regularity,  sym- 
metry or  harmony.  Below  are  shown  three  oblongs, 
with  conventional  arrangement  within,  which  typify 
these  three  forms  of  attention  value.  It  is  easy  for  anyone 
to  determine  which  of  the  three  possesses  the  highest  de- 
gree of  j)leasing  attention  value. 


More  important  by  far  than  the  form  of  the  rectangle 
chosen  as  the  medium  for  copy,  is  the  proportion.  This 
feature  is  a  matter  that  centuries  of  art  and  convention 
have  settled  for  us  beyond  any  chance  for  error,  yet  it  is 
a  proportion  appreciated  by  so  few  that  I  have  no  recol- 
lection of  hearing  it  recommended  by  any  copy  writer, 
any  artist,  any  advertising  solicitor,  or  indeed  by  any  one, 
though  it  is  referred  to  in  a  book  on  "x\rt  and  Science 


20  Analytical  Advertising 

of  Advertising,"  by  French,  and  given  the  importance  it 
deserves  by  Professor  Scott  in  his  "Psychology  of  Adver- 
tising." The  principle  of  the  maximum  attention  value 
as  referred  to  rectangles  is  one  that  has  been  recognized 
and  followed  for  centuries  by  all  masters  of  art,  both 
graphic  and  sympathetic.  The  proportions  of  famous 
canvases,  conventional  sizes  of  pleasing  book  pages,  and 
especially  the  correct  proportions  of  the  best  architecture, 
all  reflect  the  principle.  It  has  long  been  recognized  that 
any  rectangle  that  reflects  the  proportion  of  approxi- 
mately three  to  five  is  the  most  pleasing.  The  rectangle 
with  a  base  of  three  and  a  height  of  approximately  five 
is  the  most  pleasing,  although  one  with  a  base  of  five  and 
a  height  of  three  preserves  a  degree  of  harmony  that  no 
perfect  square  can  equal. 

This  proportion,  the  principle  of  the  "Golden  Section," 
may  be  tested  by  any  one.  It  is  particularly  noticeable 
in  the  advertisements  of  any  newspaper  page.  Glance  at 
any  newspaper,  and  being  guided  for  attention  value 
simply  by  the  most  pleasing  forms  of  the  various  pieces 
of  copy,  decide  for  yourself  those  that  please  you  most. 
You  will  be  surprised  to  discover  with  what  alacrity  the 
eye  will  pick  for  attention  the  advertisements  that  reflect 
this  proportion.  With  this  principle  in  mind  you  will 
also  be  surprised  to  note  the  positive  repulsion  certain 
advertisements  on  the  same  page  are  bound  to  have  for 
you.  In  the  so-called  standard  magazines  the  contrast 
in  attention  value  will  be  less  noticeable,  as  the  form  of 
the  page  itself  lends  itself  to  fewer  opportunities  for  the 
violation  of  the  principle.  The  standard  size  of  8}i  in. 
by  5^2  in.  approximates  the  golden  section,  and  the 
usual  division  of  the  page  into  vertical  quarter  sections 
as  nearly  approximates  the  same  proportion.  The  hori- 
zontal quarter  is  next  in  attention  value,  and  the  upper 
and  lower  half  pages  sufficiently  pleasing  to  prevent  dis- 
tinctive loss  of  attention  value.  The  division  of  such  a 
page  into  two  perpendicular  half  pages,  however,  is  de- 
cidedly lacking  in  attention  value,  and  it  is  quite  safe  to 
say  that  a  quarter  page  will  "pull"  materially  better 
than  a  half  page  of  vertical  form  under  almost  any 
ordinary  circumstances.     Any  space  of  smaller  size  on 


Attention  and  Attention  Values 


21 


the  standard  magazine  page,  especially  the  1-8  page,  is 
generally  recognized  as  a  size  absolutely  worthless, 
although  many  exceptions  have  been  found  by  the  exper- 
imenting advertiser.  A  small  piece  of  copy,  such  as  an 
eighth  of  a  page,  cannot  conform  to  this  most  important 
principle,  and  fails  to  secure  attention,  I  am  personally 
assured,  for  no  other  reason.  The  size  of  the  space  is  not 
the  element  responsible  for  the  loss  incident  to  such  show- 
ings, but  rather  the  loss  in  attention  value  due  to  the  lack 
of  harmony  in  such  copy  with  the  principle  of  the  golden 
section.  I  have  tried  for  years  to  secure  small  copy  that 
would  pull,  but  have  yet  to  secure  such  a  piece  of  copy. 
Following  is  a  piece  of  such  copy.  Four  inquiries  cost 
$7.83,  with  no  sales  whatever: 


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opportunity  for  money  making.  Requires 
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lessons  enable  you  to  start  a  business  of  your  own. 
We  refer  business  to  you.  Write  for  "Pointers  on 
the  Collection  Business."  347  State  St.,  Detroit.  Mich. 


AMERICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE, 


This  principle  is  most  important  in  choosing  a  pleasing 
size  for  newspapers,  where  the  competition  for  attention 
is  marked  and  diversified.  An  exact  proportion  is  pos- 
sible on  every  newspaper  page,  and  he  who  scorns  the 
principle  is  bound  to  suffer,  through  the  attention  value 
his  more  fortunate  neighbor  secures  to  copy  designed  to 
appeal  through  this  forceful  attention  compelling  ele- 
ment. Correctly  proportioned  newspaper  copy  is  em- 
phasized by  solid  })orders  that  press  the  proportion  value 
distinctly  into  the  field  of  attention,  merging  all  counter 
sensations  into  the  background. 

The  same  principle  applies  to  solid  white  margins, 
especially  those  observed  on  the  printed  pages  of  books, 
all  of  which  observe  conventional  margins  on  all  sides 
that  leave  the  actual  printed  page  in  the  same  proportion 
as  the  page  itself,  namely,  that  of  approximately  three  to 
five.      We   are   inclined   to   attribute   the   uniform   book 


22  Analytical  Advertising 

margins  to  the  desire  of  the  mind  to  view  with  interest  a 
page  that  preserves  the  conventions  of  centuries  in  this 
regard,  and  to  read  with  a  certain  sub-conscious  discom- 
fort a  book  that  disregards  them  through  too  wide 
margins,  or  too  narrow  ones.  The  more  reasonable  sup- 
position is  certainly  based  on  the  theory  of  the  golden 
section,  as  it  is  extremely  doubtful  that  any  "instinct" 
for  a  certain  kind  of  margin  could  be  formed  through 
even  centuries  of  conventional  book  reading  on  the  part 
of  our  forbears. 

A  consideration  of  the  most  favorable  position  for 
placing  the  attention  compelling  portion  of  the  adver- 
tisement, within  the  form  of  rectangle  chosen,  naturally 
arises  in  connection  with  our  discussion  of  the  golden 
section.  It  is  particularly  pertinent,  inasmuch  as  some 
base  their  decision  as  to  the  logical  attention  center  on 
a  theory  that  suggests  the  golden  section  proportion  of 
three-fifths.  It  is  plausible  that  one  should  confuse  the 
actual  center  with  this  theory,  as  the  point  is  undeniably 
about  three-fifths  from  the  bottom  of  the  rectangle. 
That  is,  the  portion  of  any  rectangle  on  which  the  regard 
is  most  easily  centered  is  a  spot  approximately  three- 
fifths  of  the  distance  from  the  bottom  toward  the  top. 
If  the  most  compelling  part  of  the  advertisement  appears 
at  this  spot  it  is  the  most  likely  to  secure  attention  to 
itself,  and  through  skillful  association,  made  to  embrace 
the  entire  advertisement,  by  means  of  which  the  proper 
action,  embracing  response,  is  secured.  The  point  at 
which  the  lines  of  regard  for  each  eye  focus  may  be  termed 
the  line  of  orientation,  and  this  line  of  orientation  in  the 
case  of  a  rectangle  is  invariably  slightly  above  the  real 
middle  of  the  figure.  The  eye  seeks  the  point  that  ap- 
pears to  divide  it  equally  from  top  to  bottom,  and  the 
tendency  of  the  mind  is  to  endow  to  the  upper  two-fifths 
an  equality  of  space  it  attributes  to  the  lower  three-fifths. 
This  tendency  to  exaggerate  the  actual  space  value  of 
the  upper  two-fifths  to  an  equality  with  the  lower  three- 
fifths  is  doubtless  responsible  for  the  pleasing  attention 
value  of  the  golden  section  itself.  It  is  undeniably  true  that 
the  most  acceptable  line  of  orientation  is  at  a  point  that 
approximates  three-fifths  from  the  bottom  of  the  figure. 


Attention  and  Attention  Values 


!^8 


Below  are  shown  several  forms  illustrating  the  superior 
attention  value  possessed  by  the  golden  section  and  at  the 
bottom  appear  four  rectangles  with  the  word  ATTEN- 
TION placed  at  various  distances  from  the  top  and  bottom. 
It  is  easy  to  choose  the  one  which  carries  the  word  on  the 
proper  line  of  orientation,  which  places  for  us  the  most 
favorable  point  for  inserting  the  attention  getting  feature 
on  which  depends  the  primary  interest  to  be  aroused. 
The  interesting  illustration  or  strongest  word  picture 
should  appear  at  this  point  in  order  to  insure  attention 
to  the  copy.  In  no  other  place  is  it  as  likely  to  arouse  a 
sensation,  thus  insuring  interest  and  attention.  This  is 
an  important  element  too  little  considered  in  the  arrange- 


At  tent  ion 


Allenlif 


Allenlion 


Allenlion 


24  x\nalytical  Advertising 

ment  of  copy.  Granting  a  certain  position  in  any  adver- 
tisement to  be  the  ideal  point  of  regard  for  the  location 
of  an  illustration,  or  an  attention  compelling  head  line, 
the  ideal  size  is  certainly  very  important.  Careful  and 
exhaustive  experiments  have  decided  both  of  these 
questions. 

Relative  to  an  illustration  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  the 
eye  will  fall  on  it  or  pick  it  out  quicker  and  better  if 
its  size  permits  a  complete  visualization  without  any 
motion  of  the  eye  after  fixation.  Assuming  this,  the 
maximum  attention  value  is  secured  by  an  illustration 
that  permits  this  result.  The  mind  will  secure  a  complete 
percept  without  motion  of  the  eyes,  of  no  object  larger 
than  one  inch  square,  at  the  normal  reading  distance. 
This  is  the  average  maximum.  The  minimum  average 
is  one-half  inch  square.  The  "ideal"  average  is,  therefore, 
about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  square.  The  same  prin- 
ciple applies  to  lines  of  words.  The  eye  rebels  when  con- 
fronted by  long  lines.  Any  line  of  reading  that  exceeds 
three  and  a  quarter  inches  lacks,  grossly,  in  attention 
value,  as  the  mind  will  not  attend  if  forced  to  follow  lines 
of  over  this  average  length.  A  line  of  meaningless  words, 
or  of  strange  words,  is  much  worse,  as  neither  the  eye  nor 
the  mind  has  any  interest  in  them,  except  in  rare  in- 
stances from  curiosity. 

The  eye  follows  lines  of  conventional  length,  and  is 
interested  only  in  such  lines  as  arouse  interest  through 
association  or  beauty.  Head  lines  of  capital  letters  lack 
in  attention  value,  though  a  great  many  advertisers  never 
appear  to  realize  it.  The  eye  is  not  accustomed  to  reading 
capital  letters,  nor  is  it  interested  in  them.  It  is  folly 
therefore,  to  prepare  a  head  line  for  the  purpose  of  attract- 
ing attention,  and  set  it  in  capital  letters,  with  which  the 
eye  is  not  familiar  and  never  interested.  Use  upper  and 
lower  case  always  if  you  want  attention,  but  never  all 
upper  case.  The  law  and  reason  are  too  obvious  to  merit 
further  elaboration. 

The  attention  value  of  the  printed  page  depends  very 
largely  on  the  kind  of  type  used  and  its  size.  The  easiest 
read,  and  the  most  pleasing  form  is  modern  face  roman 
type.    The  size  should  never  be  large  if  the  advertisement 


Attention  and  Attention  Values  25 

is  to  be  read  at  the  normal  reading  distance.  It  is  a  great 
mistake  to  choose  large  type,  except  for  a  head,  as  the  eye 
tires  too  quickly  in  its  attempt  to  read  a  meaning  into  it. 
To  test  this  j)rinciple  simply  try  to  read  a  '^poster"  at 
short  range.  You  will  discover  yourself  actually  spelling 
out  the  words,  thus  inhibiting  any  action  of  interest  that 
the  connected  words  may  have  as  their  object. 

Ornate  type  is  often  used  by  advertisers,  with  the  idea 
that  its  unusual  appearance  heightens  the  attention  value 
of  the  advertisement.  The  fancy  appearance  of  an 
advertisement,  due  to  an  unusual  type,  may  very  easily 
draw  attention  to  the  announcement,  but  real  interest  in 
it  quickly  wanes  when  an  attempt  to  read  the  copy  is 
made.  The  manufacturers  of  type  have  been  slow  to 
appreciate  this  condition,  and  many  have  constantly 
designed  new  styles  of  type  in  order  to  increase  their 
sales.  Printers  have  sampled  a  little  of  everything,  and 
the* weird  typographical  results  have  done  much  to  kill 
the  effect  of  much  excellently  written  copy. 

Before  terminating  this  discussion  of  attention  value 
some  reference  should  be  made  to  the  importance  of  light 
and  color.  It  will  be  more  of  a  "negative"  character, 
however,  than  anything  else.  The  advertiser  unskilled 
in  the  science  of  color  will  do  well  to  let  it  alone.  The 
conflicting  theories  on  the  subject  are  manifold  and  cer- 
tainly confusing,  and  I  freely  admit  of  absolutely  no  real 
conception  of  the  subject.  It  is  bad  enough  to  attempt 
a  grasp  of  plain  black  and  white.  The  very  essence  of 
what  these  two  represent  has  been  the  basis  for  tireless 
debate.  Such  acknowledged  authorities  as  Helmholtz  and 
Hering  base  their  theories  on  the  assumption  that  black 
is  a  sensation,  while  eminent  authorities,  as  Fick  and 
others,  declare  it  is  the  absence  of  sensation.  It  is  a  good 
rule  to  follow,  that  black  and  white,  in  their  various  pro- 
portions and  relations,  present  sufficient  opportunities 
for  inhibiting  interest  and  attention.  It  is  a  certainty 
that  no  two  persons  in  the  world  see  any  one  color  in  the 
same  relation  with  others.  The  gradual  modification  of 
this  condition  ranges  from  slight  differences  in  shade 
tones  to  absolute  color  blindness  in  a  vast  number  of 
individuals.     The  safe  side  in  advertising  is  the  "color- 


-za  Analytical  Advertising 

less"  side.    Secure  all  the  attention  value  possible  through 
principles  of  art,  but  shun  "art  for  art's  sake." 

The  menace  to  attention  value  arising  from  injudicious 
color  arrangements  is  so  obvious  to  most  advertisers  that 
but  few  attempt  the  color  appeal,  and  copy  in  colors  is 
for  the  most  part  the  exclusive  luxury  of  cover  space 
buyers,  whose  measure  of  fancied  results  is  quite  likely 
to  be  as  grotesque  as  the  effect  of  their  artistic  transports. 
The  calamity  likely  to  attend  the  attempted  harmony 
of  art  and  commercialism  in  black  and  white  copy  is  more 
subtle.  It  is  to  be  apprehended  on  account  of  the  prin- 
ciple of  association,  which  deserves  a  chapter  of  its  own, 
which  will  immediately  follow. 


Association 

Every  sensation  arouses  associations.  The  principle 
of  all  conscious  neural  activity,  mentioned  previously  as 
the  brain  path  theory,  depends  on  association.  Associa- 
tion is  the  basis  for  the  present  day  understanding  of 
the  phenomena  of  memory,  habit  and  imagination,  a 
reference  to  each  of  which  will  be  necessary  in  discussing 
association,  though  a  more  complete  analysis  of  the  three 
will  follow  later. 

The  popular  acceptance  of  almost  every  psychological 
term  is  not  in  keeping  with  the  psychologist's  meaning, 
from  a  technical  standpoint,  and  considerable  confusion 
results,  with  attending  lack  of  agreement  on  the  part  of 
all.  This  is  especially  true  of  psychology's  interpretation 
of  association.  Almost  insane  devotion  is  exhibited  by  a 
certain  class  of  advertising  writers  to  what  they  term 
"suggestion."  The  real  meaning  this  word  may  have  for 
many  of  them  is  an  obscure  problem,  though  it  is  quite 
reasonable  to  suspect  reference  to  it  by  some  relates  to 
their  conception  of  what  association  really  is  and  does. 
Suggestion,  from  a  psychologist's  standpoint,  means  a 
command,  expressed  or  implied,  direct  or  indirect,  arising 
from  the  suggestion  of  a  hypnotist  to  his  subject.  Since 
the  first  use  of  the  term  in  this  connection  its  meaning  in 
popular  fancy  has  been  distorted  to  represent  almost 
anything,  until  any  discussion  of  it  appears  as  futile  as 
to  attempt  to  reason  about  religion.  The  word  or  its 
possible  meaning  will  not  be  the  subject  of  discussion  in 
this  chapter,  and  is  merely  mentioned  here  to  avoid  any 
misapprehension  in  our  discussion  of  association,  on 
which   it  has   no   scientific   bearing. 

Present-day  psychology  is  an  evolution  from  the  asso- 
ciation-psychology of  Hartley,  Hume  and  Locke,  who 
were  more  philosophers  than  they  were  psychologists. 
Their  restricted  meanings  relative  to  "simple  ideas," 
"simple  impressions,"  and  "association  of  ideas"  are  still 
held  by  many  as  a  basis  for  understanding  the  action  of 
the  mind.  These  meanings  assumed  the  possibility  of 
sensations    being    "pure"    and    attributed    to    ideas    the 

27 


28  Analytical  Advertising 

quality  of  objects  that  were  associated  together  in  the 
mind,  subject  to  repetition  in  consciousness  in  exactly 
the  same  form  as  that  in  which  they  were  first  presented. 
Were  these  theories  correct  an  object  once  seen  and  after- 
ward remembered  would  recur  exactly  as  it  originally 
came  into  consciousness,  and  as  the  original  sensation  of 
it  was  a  pure  one,  it  could  only  be  recalled  in  perfect  and 
true  form.  It  is  too  plain  to  anyone  that  nothing  of  the 
kind  is  true,  as  it  is  absolutely  impossible  for  anyone  to 
remember  perfectly,  no  matter  how  recent  the  impression. 
It  is  also  quite  as  certain  that  no  sensation  reaches  the 
brain  as  an  exact  counterpart  of  the  object  creating  the 
sensation,  for  in  the  first  place  we  read  into  everything 
seen  or  sensed  certain  associated  ideas  relative  to  it. 

This  vital  principle  of  different  conceptions  of  any 
one  object  by  every  individual  is  known  as  apperception. 
That  is,  instead  of  actually  perceiving  anything  as  it  is, 
we  do  something  more  than  that — we  surround  or  put 
on  top  of  it  other  ideas  associated  with  it — a  comprehen- 
sive term  for  which  is  the  word  apperception,  which  means 
more  than  perception. 

It  is  a  peculiarity  of  apperception  that  we  actually 
seem  to  surround  any  object  about  to  arouse  a  sensation 
with  certain  associations,  and  we  appear  to  do  it  before 
having  time  to  associate  anything.  The  very  same  note 
struck  on  a  piano  does  not  sound  exactly  the  same 
the  second  time  it  is  struck,  no  matter  how  close  to- 
gether the  two  occur.  The  impressions  following  a  dupli- 
cation of  any  first  sensation  are  colored  by  the  first,  and 
associations,  however  minute,  make  the  actual  receipt 
of  the  sensation  different  on  account  of  the  apperception 
of  any  object.  We  seem  to  be  actually  waiting  for  every 
sensation  that  comes,  with  a  meaning  in  our  mind  for  it 
before  it  gets  there,  and  such  a  term  as  pre-perception 
would  not  be  a  bad  one  to  explain,  partially  at  least,  the 
meaning  of  apperception. 

The  recognition  by  every  advertiser  of  the  principle 
of  apperception  would  be  productive  in  this:  the  prepa- 
ration of  copy  so  simple  and  direct  in  quality  as  to  per- 
mit of  as  little  difference  in  interpretation  as  possible. 
Granting  there  is  a  difference  in  every  one's  appercep- 


Association  29 

tion  of  any  object,  the  more  simple  the  object  the  less 
opportunity  for  the  observer  differing  from  the  concep- 
tion held  by  the  author  of  the  advertisement. 

The  importance  of  the  apperceptive  faculty  in  each 
individual  is  manifest,  as  a  single  sentence,  such  as  a 
headline,  will  mean  as  many  different  things  to  the  read- 
ers, as  there  are  readers.  In  proportion  to  its  simplicity 
and  directness  the  chance  for  marked  differences  lessens. 


A  graphic  illustration  of  apperception  is  afforded  by 
the  drawing  here  given.  At  first  glance  the  idea  pre- 
sented by  the  picture  is  one  of  two  possible  ones.  Some 
immediately  see  a  pair  of  steps.  Others  see  a  block  of 
wood,  peculiarly  cut.  After  recognizing  the  possibility 
of  the  two  distinct  ideas  you  are  able  to  read  the  mean- 
ing of  either  one  into  the  figure  at  will.  Some  find  it 
necessary  to  turn  the  picture  in  order  to  secure  the  second 


30  Analytical  Advertising 

picture.  Once  perceived,  however,  the  mind  is  able  to 
see  the  figure  in  either  of    two  ways. 

This  element  of  divergent  apperceptive  qualities  ob- 
tains in  connection  with  every  word  and  sentence  of  an 
advertisement.  But  far  more  important  are  the  associa- 
tions each  sentence  of  an  advertisement  arouses  after 
apperception.  It  is  with  this  phase  of  mental  activity 
that  we  are  especially  concerned  in  this  chapter. 

Associations  rapidly  succeed  themselves  after  every 
sensation.  One  idea  suggests  another.  An  idea  of  soap 
may  be  succeeded  by  one  of  lather,  lather  by  foam, 
foam  by  sea,  sea  by  ship,  ship  by  Mayflower,  MayfloAver 
by  England,  and  so  on  indefinitely.  The  more  untrained 
and  stolid  the  mind  of  an  individual,  the  less  fanciful 
and  divergent  are  his  associations.  An  educated,  or 
well  informed,  man  is  less  likely  to  be  restricted  in  the 
wide  range  of  his  associations  than  is  a  man  of  less  in- 
formation or  agility  of  intellect.  A  large  proportion  of 
the  reading  public,  the  "common  people,"  as  we  conde- 
scendingly designate  them,  have  a  certain  restriction 
placed  on  their  associative  ability  through  the  limita- 
tions of  their  mental  equipment.  These  people  are  the 
more  susceptible  to  advertisements,  for  they  are  easier 
led  by  strongly  associated  copy  to  follow  the  line  of 
associations  such  copy  provides.  The  more  highly  in- 
tellectual a  man  is  the  less  likely  is  the  advertisement  to 
hold  his  interest  to  the  buying  point,  as  any  one  of  thou- 
sands of  associations  may  impel  such  a  man  to  neglect  the 
lead  of  the  copy  entirely,  and  instead  follow  one  his 
interest  may  suggest  through  an  association  entirely 
irrelevant  to  the  copy  itself.  It  is  notoriously  a  truism 
that  the  ''high  brow"  does  not  succumb  to  the  plea  of 
the  advertiser,  where  his  more  stolid  brother  easily 
yields.  If  this  is  true,  as  I  believe  it  to  be,  the  explana- 
tion may  certainly  be  found  in  this  tendency  of  certain 
minds  to  follow  the  lines  of  association  that  emanate 
from  within,  instead  of  following  a  line  of  association 
''canned"  for  their  benefit  by  the  advertiser. 

The  tendency  so  marked  in  the  intellectual  man  is 
always  present  in  varying  degrees  in  all  men.  To  over- 
come the  inhibition  ever  present  from  this  source  the 


Association  31 

advertiser  must  preserve  not  only  a  palpably  logical 
association  of  ideas  from  the  first  to  last  in  every  piece  of 
copy,  but  he  must  also  maintain  an  interesting  one. 

The  tendency  of  the  mind  to  follow  almost  any  idea 
with  what  appears  to  be  absolutely  irrelevant  associa- 
tions is  the  problem  absolutely  baffling  to  the  psycholo- 
gist. He  has  been  able  to  decide  in  a  general  way  cer- 
tain broad  rules  for  their  occurrence,  but  as  to  why  or 
how  they  act  as  they  do,  he  pleads  justifiable  ignorance. 
James,  for  instance,  sets  down  four  causes,  or  rather 
tendencies,  of  associations.  He  states  they  follow  cer- 
tain brain  paths  because  of  habit,  recency,  vividness 
or  emotional  congruity.  Very  naturally  such  cate- 
gories are  not  of  very  great  concern  to  the  advertiser, 
especially,  as  another  authority  might  add  to  the  num- 
ber, or  even  subtract  from  them,  with  no  particular 
practical  benefit  to  anybody.  What  is  of  greater  im- 
portance is  that  the  associations  do  follow  each  other  in 
the  normal  mind,  on  account  of  one  fact,  INTEREST. 
An  advertiser  can  never  tell  when  his  copy  will  contain 
an  idea  at  a  certain  point  that  will  shoot  the  reader's 
mind  a  thousand  miles  from  the  printed  page  through  an 
association  it  evolves.  He  can  be  certain  that  if  his 
copy  is  not  interesting  in  itself,  and  does  not  hang 
closely  together  at  every  point  in  an  interesting  manner, 
the  mind  of  the  reader  will  waver  and  probably  scoot, 
when  it  reaches  that  point.  The  mind  follows  only  those 
ideas  with  which  it  is  interested.  This  is  a  LAW. 

All  associations  depend  on  interest.    This  is  a  law. 

Granting  these  two  laws,  can  any  one  justify  an  illus- 
tration that  is  not  directly  associated  with  a  piece  of  copy 
to  which  it  attempts  to  attract  the  attention?  The 
answer  will  be  even  more  applicable  to  a  head  line,  or  to 
any  integral  portion  of  the  display.  An  interesting  asso- 
ciation between  any  feature  inserted  in  copy  for  its  atten- 
tion value  and  the  selling  portion  of  the  copy  itself  is  thus 
manifestly  important.  We  may  go  so  far  as  to  say  that 
it  is  the  essential  requirement.  It  is  thus  the  height  of 
wasteful  ignorance  to  employ  art  in  beautiful  illustration, 
unless  the  association  between  the  picture  and  the  copy 
is  palpably  interesting.    Art  in  copy  is  dangerous  also  on 


32  Analytical  Advertising 

account  of  the  inherent  quahty  of  all  art  to  arouse  asso- 
ciations in  its  own  field,  inhibiting  any  consideration  of 
contiguous  pleas  to  the  attention. 

The  tendency  of  the  mind  to  associate  all  ideas  is  mani- 
fested in  two  distinct  channels.  The  first  is  assimilation, 
or  the  association  between  elements  of  like  compounds, 
and  the  other  complications,  or  associations  between 
unlike  compounds.  The  mind  is  just  as  prone  to  associate 
contrasting  ideas  as  it  is  to  associate  similar  ones.  It  is 
therefore  one  of  the  important  problems  of  copy  to  avoid 
as  much  as  possible  all  chance  for  inciting  association  by 
contrast.  Nothing  so  well  illustrates  this  tendency  of  the 
mind,  in  its  importance  to  advertising  copy,  as  the  effect 
produced  by  the  "negative  suggestion."  A  printer  desir- 
ing to  secure  the  high  grade  work  to  which  his  efficiency 
entitled  him  submitted  to  me  a  piece  of  copy  he  proposed 
running  in  a  local  publication.  He  wished  to  secure 
orders  through  copy  outlining  his  superior  qualifications, 
and  a  portion  of  his  copy  was  excellent  along  this  line.  In 
the  very  body  of  it,  however,  he  had  introduced  the  fol- 
lowing: "Over  a  million  dollars  worth  of  printing  is  sent 
out  of  our  own  town  by  local  houses  every  year.  We 
ought  to  have  this  business,  for  the  cheapness  of  the  work 
done  by  outsiders  is  more  than  overcome  by  our  artistic 
workmanship."  Such  copy  would  almost  inevitably 
arouse  in  the  reader  associations  of  contrast.  He  would 
be  almost  forced  to  think  of  Chicago  and  outside  cities 
having  such  superior  facilities  that  would  warrant  taking 
such  a  volume  of  printing  from  local  houses.  This  ])rinter 
actually  contrasted  cheapness  and  dearness  to  his  own 
detriment,  for  in  addition  to  the  contrasting  associations 
aroused,  he  forced  on  the  mind  of  any  thoughtful  business 
man  not  only  a  line  of  reasoning  (which  is  inhibitory),  but 
an  interesting  association  of  ideas  relative  to  outside 
printers,  thus  completely  nullifying  his  own  copy. 

In  writing  any  advertising  these  two  principles  of  asso- 
ciation should  be  borne  in  mind  constantly,  and  every 
effort  made  to  arouse  associations  of  similarity  as  favorable 
as  possible.  As  interest  is  the  law  of  association,  the 
deeper  your  understanding  of  human  interest  the  better 
equipped  you  are  to  successfully  appeal  through  it. 


Association  33 

A  realization  of  the  dual  character  of  conscious  mental 
activity  presumes  personality  in  the  individual  human 
being.  It  is  an  understanding  of  the  interests  of  this 
personality,  on  which  all  advertising  copy  is  predicated. 
There  is  always  the  stream  of  consciousness,  produced, 
or  affected  by  objective  stimuli,  and  there  is  always  the 
subjective  recognition  of  this  stream,  through  which  pro- 
cess we  identify  it  as  belonging  to  us.  This  element  of 
personality  is  the  one  factor  that  elevates  the  human  being 
above  all  other  forms  of  animal  life.  Reason  is  commonly 
quoted  as  the  one  factor  of  human  activity  that  elevates 
man  above  the  beasts,  and  while  it  is  practically  certain 
that  reason  is  peculiar  to  the  human  being  it  is  not  as 
distinctively  an  individual  possession  of  the  human  as  is 
his  consciousness  of  personality.  In  connection  with 
these  two  phases  of  self-consciousness  there  is  still  an- 
other designated  by  Prof.  Sidis  as  the  sub-waking  self. 
The  importance  of  the  latter  will  be  discussed  later,  as 
our  concern  is  self-conscious  activity  in  associations 
through  interest. 

This  pre-eminent  attribute  of  personality  reflects  itself 
in  the  interest  of  the  individual.  Every  human  being,  in 
a  normal  state,  is  vitally  concerned  and  interested  in  his 
own  being.  The  strongest  human  interest  is  invariably 
connected  with  his  own  well-being;  and,  associations 
aroused  by  copy  that  lead  to  an  identification  of  that 
copy  with  the  personal  well-being  of  the  individual  must 
hold  his  interest.  Every  normal  individuality  is  selfish. 
The  very  essence  of  personality  is  "m^."  I  am  interested 
in  my  health,  my  work,  my  home,  my  family.  Health  is 
a  paramount  interest  of  man.  It  always  has  been  and 
always  will  be  so.  The  salutation  of  almost  any  language 
is  a  variation  of  "How  do  you  do."  To  interest  a  man 
you  ask  how  he  is.  It  is  even  a  secondary  consideration 
to  ask  how  his  wife  or  how  his  family  is.  This  prevailing 
phenomenon  is  responsible  for  the  patent  medicine  man 
and  his  almost  universal  success.  It  transcends  every 
other  interest  of  the  personality.  With  modifications 
our  every  interest  reflects  this  one  great  interest. 

Professor  James  mentions  as  an  instinct  the  desire  of 
the  individual  "to  have  and  to  hold"— the  all  prevailing 


34  Analytical  Advertising 

desire  to  own  something.  Others  profess  to  believe  that 
the  rehgious  emotion  is  an  instinct.  Neither  are  abso- 
lutely universal,  though  undoubtedly  arouse  great  per- 
sonal interest.  My  interest  in  me  is  greater  than  an  in- 
stinct— it  is  vastly  more  stable  than  an  emotion.  It  is 
the  one  universal  undebatable  attribute  of  human  per- 
sonality. All  human  interests  revert  in  their  last  analysis 
to  this  one  functional  interest.  If  the  advertiser  will 
remember  this  in  his  copy  he  will  secure  the  action  he 
desires.  The  more  direct  the  appeal  to  the  me  the  less 
likely  is  the  copy  to  fail  of  its  purpose. 

The  principle  in  writing  copy  is  to  arouse  associations 
in  the  individual  that  appeal  to  the  interest  of  his  per- 
sonality. The  variations  of  this  interest  have  no  limit, 
except  the  possibilities  of  activity  for  the  individual.  The 
principle  of  associations  is  important  only  in  relation  to 
an  individual,  and  should  not  be  considered  in  connection 
with  suggestion  as  related  to  moving  human  beings  con- 
sidered as  a  social  body,  which  will  be  spoken  of  in  the 
next  chapter. 


Suggestion 

There  is  probably  no  single  term  so  universally  em- 
ployed by  advertisers,  by  advertising  writers  or  by  those 
in  any  way  connected  with  advertising  as  the  word  SUG- 
GESTION. Its  potency  has  been  the  subject  of  more 
discussion  than  any  single  phase  of  mental  activity,  and 
practically  every  deduction  relative  to  it  has  emphasized 
some  degree  of  usefulness  in  its  relation  to  advertising, 
advertising  copy  or  advertising  results.  All  psycholo- 
gists refer  to  it,  and  every  advertising  "authority"  has 
some  belief  relative  to  it.  The  almost  unanimous  opinion 
concedes  a  rare  power  to  it  as  an  element  of  profit  for  the 
advertiser. 

Until  I  actually  commenced  to  write  this  book  I  was 
as  favorably  impressed  with  the  value  of  suggestion  as 
is  the  average  man  who  advertises.  During  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  material  I  had  gathered  for  several  years  I 
had  entertained  what  may  be  termed  the  popular  con- 
ception of  the  subject  of  suggestion,  but  had  not  gone  to 
the  trouble  of  informing  myself  on  the  scientific  meaning 
of  the  word.  Reaching  this  point  in  the  book  I  sought 
more  specific  information  relative  to  suggestion  than  that 
contained  in  the  slight  references  to  it  in  those  works  I 
had  read  or  examined.  Quite  by  chance  I  secured  a  copy 
of  a  book  that  dealt  with  the  subject  of  suggestion  in  an 
exhaustive  manner,  and  its  treatment  of  the  subject  com- 
pletely changed  my  preconceived  ideas  of  both  the  mean- 
ing of  the  term  and  its  significance  to  the  advertiser. 

The  book  referred  to  is  "The  Psychology  of  Sugges- 
tion," by  Dr.  Boris  Sidis.  This  book  will  repay  careful 
study  by  every  advertiser,  as  its  logical  presentation  of 
the  subject,  and  the  wonderful  sequence  of  the  experi- 
ments it  unfolds  will  convince  every  reader  that  the  popu- 
lar conception  relative  to  suggestion  rests  on  a  miscon- 
strued understanding  of  the  very  meaning  of  the  term 
itself.  The  popular  faith  in  suggestion  has  for  its  basis 
a  confusion  of  meaning  that  endows  the  supposed  action 
of  suggestion  with  what  really  develops  through  imagina- 
tion.    The  popular  idea  of  suggestion  is  also  confused 

35 


36  Analytical  Advertising 

with  other  common  phases  of  mental  activity,  of  which 
imitation  is   a  material  factor. 

It  is  as  much  the  duty  of  advertisers  to  simplify  the 
meanings  of  terms,  as  it  is  to  analyze  results,  and  for  that 
reason  I  propose  to  devote  this  chapter  to  presenting  the 
salient  points  of  Dr.  Sidis's  book,  insofar  as  they  directly 
affect  advertising  and  the  advertiser.  The  material  of 
this  chapter  is  rather  abstruse,  and  to  many  will  lack  in 
interesting  features,  and  I  therefore  bespeak  a  patient 
reading  of  it,  for  it  appears  to  me  the  points  made  by 
Dr.  Sidis  are  extremely  vital. 

The  purpose  of  Dr.  Sidis  is  to  prove  that  man  is  a  sug- 
gestible animal,  and  his  masterly  deductions  prove  this 
conclusively.  In  deducing  these  conclusions  he  makes 
very  clear  that  the  conditions  necessary  to  successful 
suggestion  are  not  those  that  ever  occur  in  their  entirety 
for  the  advertiser.  An  understanding  of  these  conditions 
is  therefore  of  great  concern  to  the  advertiser. 

His  every  conclusion  is  based  on  definite  experiments, 
which  in  the  aggregate  number  thousands.  His  experi- 
ments on  normal  suggestibility  are  the  ones  with  which  the 
advertiser  is  concerned,  and  this  series  covered  4,487 
separate  experiments,  quite  sufficient  to  command  re- 
spect for  the  deductions  reached.  I  will  attempt  to  out- 
line the  important  points  of  the  book,  for  those  who  might 
find  a  careful  reading  of  it  uninteresting.  Brevity  of  this 
outline  entails  patient  thought  by  the  reader  at  every 
point,  that  the  final  conclusion  may  be  clear. 

To  promote  thorough  agreement  on  terms  the  defini- 
tion of  suggestion  by  Dr.  Sidis  will  be  given  as  he  gives 
it:  "By  suggestion  is  meant  the  intrusion  into  the  mind 
of  an  idea;  met  with  more  or  less  opposition  by  the  per- 
son; accepted  uncritically  at  last;  and  realized  unreflec- 
tively,  almost  automatically."  Without  elaborating  the 
meaning  of  each  clause  I  think  this  definition  expresses 
what  most  advertisers  believe  they  accomplish  for  their 
copy  through  what  they  believe  to  be  suggestion  in  their 
advertisements.  By  "suggestibility"  Dr.  Sidis  means  "that 
peculiar  state  of  mind  which  is  favorable  to  suggestion." 

To  one  interested  in  hypnotism,  hysteria  or  any  patho- 
logical condition  the  study  of  the  whole  book  is  absorb- 


Suggestion  37 

ingly  interesting,  but  the  portions  dealing  with  sugges- 
tion on  the  normal  individual  are  the  only  ones  of  direct 
profit  to  the  advertiser,  in  that  they  contradict  practically 
all  prevalent  superstitions  so  rife  among  the  laity.  It 
will  be  my  attempt  to  show  the  importance  of  such  deduc- 
tions as  bear  directly  on  the  advertiser's  problem,  and  no 
other.  In  doing  this  I  will  ask  the  reader  to  accept  as 
proved  any  hypothesis  stated  by  Dr.  Sidis,  as  it  would 
take  a  book  to  prove  each  as  he  has  done.  This  may  be 
verified  by  the  skeptical  through  a  study  of  the  book  it- 
self.  iVny  opinions  of  my  own  will  be  given  as  such. 

Dr.  Sidis  gives  in  detail  the  results  of  a  large  number  of 
experiments.    I  will  confine  this  exposition  to  one  of  them. 

The  experiment  to  be  considered  was  really  a  series,  and 
was  made  on  perfectly  normal  men.  It  was  for  the  purpose 
of  learning  whether  normal  men  were  suggestible  to  direct 
and  indirect  suggestion,  also  whether  they  were  suggestible 
to  immediate  and  mediate  suggestion.  The  experiments 
permitted  the  subjects  a  choice,  that  is  they  had  the  choice 
of  following  the  suggestion  made  or  of  not  following  it,  and 
every  precaution  known  to  the  experienced  laboratory  ex- 
perimenter was  taken  to  eliminate  the  various  elements  of 
error.  The  operations  were  as  follows :  Six  small  squares  of 
different  colors  were  placed  on  a  white  background.  A 
piece  of  black  cardboard  concealed  them  from  view.  The 
subject  was  told  to  fix  attention  on  the  black  cardboard 
for  five  seconds,  after  which  it  was  lifted,  exposing  to 
view  the  six  colored  squares  on  the  white  background.  If 
the  subject  was  influenced  by  the  suggestion  given  he 
picked  out  one  of  the  six  squares. 

Each  test  was  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  the  degree  of 
suggestibility  exerted  by  one  of  the  following  conditions: 

1.  Abnormal  position  of  one  of  the  squares.  That  is, 
one  of  the  squares  would  be  pasted  crooked  on  the  back- 
ground.     (See  illustration  page  88.) 

2.  Colored  cover.  Instead  of  a  black  cardboard 
cover  a  colored  cover  exactly  identical  with  the  color  of 
one  of  the  squares  would  be  used. 

3.  Strange  shape.  Instead  of  a  square  one  of  the  six 
would  be  a  different  shape,  as  a  star,  rectangle,  etc.  (See 
illustration  page  38.) 


Suggestion  39 

4.  Color  verbally  suggested.  One  of  the  squares 
would  be  placed  in  the  subject's  hands  and  the  color 
determined  and  mentioned,  after  which  it  was  replaced 
in  the  series  and  the  experiment  completed. 

5.  Place  verbally  suggested.  As  the  cover  was  raised 
the  position  of  the  square  to  be  suggested  was  cried  out 
by  the  operator,  as  "Three,"  or  any  number  decided  on 
as  the  square  to  be  suggested. 

6 .  Environment .  One  of  the  colored  squares  was  pasted 
over  a  slightly  larger  square  of  a  different  color.  A  fringe 
environing  the  square  was  thus  formed.     (See  illustration.) 

In  the  above  six  experiments  a  direct  suggestion  would 
be  made  as  in  experiment  5  by  directly  calling  out  "three," 
when  the  third  square  was  to  be  suggested.  Indirect  sug- 
gestion would  be  made  in  experiment  1,  where  the  abnor- 
mal position  would  suggest  the  square  it  was  desired  to 
have  the  subject  choose.  If  he  reacted  to  the  suggestion 
he  chose  one  of  the  squares. 

Dr.  Sidis  carefully  tabulated  all  of  the  results  also  to 
discover  whether  the  subject  would  choose  the  exact 
square  suggested,  or  the  next  one  to  it.  If  the  exact 
square  was  chosen  he  designated  the  action  Immediate 
suggestion.  If  a  square  next  to  the  one  suggested  was 
chosen  he  termed  the  result  Mediate  suggestion. 

The  tabulated  results  of  these  experiments,  expressed 
in  terms  of  proportion,  are  as  follows: 

Table  of  Immediate  Suggestibility.  Per  cent. 

Abnormal  position 47.8 

Strange  shape 43 . 0 

Colored  cover 38 . 1 

Environment 30 . 4 

Color  verbally  suggested 28 . 8 

Place  verbally  suggested 19.4 

Table  of  Mediate  Suggestibility.  Per  cent. 

Environment 22 . 2 

Strange  shape 13.0 

Colored  cover 5.8 

Abnormal  position 5.3 

Color  verbally  suggested 4.4 

Place  verbally  suggested 0.5 


40  Analytical  Advertising 

The  first  of  the  above  tables  represents  the  results 
where  the  exact  square  suggested  was  chosen.  The 
second  table  represents  the  results  where  the  square  sug- 
gested was  not  chosen,  but  where  the  square  on  either  one 
side  or  the  other  of  one  suggested  was  chosen. 

A  table  of  percentages  combining  both  Immediate  and 
Mediate  suggestibility  results  in  the  following: 

Table  of  Total  Suggestibility.  Per  cent. 

Strange  shape 56.0 

Abnormal  position 53 . 2 

Environment 5'^.6 

Colored  cover . 43.9 

Color  verbally  suggested 33 . 3 

Place  verbally  suggested 19.9 

It  is  obvious  that  the  results  of  the  above  experiments 
point  to  a  very  salient  factor  of  normal  suggestibility, 
which  is  that  "Iw  the  normal  state  a  suggestion  is  more  ef- 
fective the  more  indirect  it  is  and  in  proportion  as  it  becomes 
direct  it  loses  its  efficiency ^  I  will  quote  several  more  of 
the  important  deductions  noted  by  Prof.  Sidis,  all  italics 
being  his  statements. 

A  familiar  thing  in  a  strange  abnormal  position  or  shape 
produces  the  most  effective  suggestion. 

An  adorned,  beautiful  object  sheds  glory  on  its  homely 
neighbors  and  makes  them  more  eligible. 

In  the  case  of  normal  suggestion  indirect  suggestion  is 
far  more  effective  than  direct  suggestion. 

Normal  suggestibility  varies  as  indirect  suggestion,  and 
inversely   as  direct  sttggestion. 

Prof.  Sidis  does  not  give  the  actual  number  of  tests  the 
above  experiment  covers.  It  was  but  one  of  a  number  of 
different  tests  that  had  for  their  object  the  suggestibility 
of  the  human  being  under  normal  conditions.  The  re- 
sults and  deductions  are  of  interest  to  the  advertiser  if 
not  of  direct  value.  The  conditions  absolutely  necessary 
to  secure  any  results  from  normal  suggestion  are  more 
than  interesting  to  the  advertiser.  They  are  directly 
valuable,  and  I  may  say  of  vital  importance.  The  seven 
conditions  discovered  by  Prof.  Sidis  must  be  present  in 
every    case    of    suggestibility.      Wherever    one    of    them 


Suggestion  41 

failed  to  enter  the  experiment  was  a  failure,  that  is,  no 
suggestion  was  carried  out.  These  seven  conditions  are 
as  follows: 

First  condition.  There  must  be  fixation  of  attention. 
This  fixation  was  never  longer  than  five  seconds  in  all  of 
the  4,487  experiments,  except  in  five  hundred,  where  the 
limit  was  somewhat  longer.  The  subject  had  to  hold  a 
small  point  before  attention  for  five  seconds,  after  which 
the  opportunity  for  choice  was  given.  The  subject  ex- 
pected the  experiment  to  follow,  but  did  not  suspect  its 
character.  If  fixation  of  attention  wavered  the  experi- 
ment was  a  failure,  and  no  suggestion  resulted. 

Second  condition.  There  must  be  distraction  oj  the 
attention.  That  is,  there  must  be  an  element  of  distrac- 
tion for  the  subject,  in  order  to  prevent  his  centering  his 
attention  on  the  thought  of  the  object  of  the  experiment, 
(namely  on  the  suggestion  itself).  This  is  served  through 
fixating  his  attention  on  something  else,  which  was  the 
small  point  he  had  to  fixate  before  the  actual  experiment 
was  produced.  If  the  subject  centered  his  attention  on 
the  experiment  itself,  the  experiment  almost  invariably 
failed,  and  there  was  no  suggestion. 

Third  condition.  There  must  be  monotony.  Each  ex- 
periment had  to  be  produced  in  an  atmosphere  of  silence 
and  monotony.  Any  outside  noises,  or  disturbances  of 
any  kind  prevented  the  success  of  the  experiment.  With- 
out monotonous  surroundings  there  is  no  suggestion. 

Fourth  condition.  There  must  be  a  limitation  of  vol- 
untary movements.  That  is,  the  subject  had  to  be  in  a 
comfortable  position  and  not  move  or  change  his  position. 
Any  movement  or  discomfort  prevents  suggestion. 

Fifth  condition.  There  must  be  a  limited  field  of  con- 
sciousness. Such  a  condition  is  naturally  the  outcome 
of  the  conditions  mentioned  above,  and  their  co-existence 
naturally  assumes  a  limitation  of  the  field  of  conscious- 
ness, which  hardly  warrants  considering  it  as  a  condition 
for  suggestion,  as  it  is  naturally  inseparable  from  the 
others  as  long  as  they  continue  constant. 

Sixth  condition.  There  must  be  inhibition.  To  ap- 
proximate this  condition  is  the  most  difficult  task  of  the 
subject,  as  it  means  inhibiting  associations  that  constantly 


42  Analytical  Advertising 

arise  from  outside  stimulations.  It  means  making  the 
mind  a  perfect  blank  during  the  experiment,  and  banishing 
from  the  mind  any  association  that  may  arise  before  the 
mind's  eye,  claiming  attention.  Whenever  the  subject 
failed  to  inhibit  the  intrusion  of  such  outside  associations 
the  experiment  invariably  failed.  This  is  particularly 
important  to  the  advertiser,  as  it  is  a  practical  certainty 
that  no  reader  of  an  advertisement  is  consciously  trying 
to  banish  the  natural  associations  that  constantly  present 
themselves  in  his  mind,  and  without  this  element  of  in- 
hibition it  is  hopeless  to  expect  any  result  from  suggestion. 

Seventh  condition.  The  last  condition  is  considered 
by  Prof.  Sidis  as  the  most  important,  and  is  that  of  im- 
mediate execution.  If  the  opportunity  for  immediately 
executing  the  suggestion  is  absent  there  is  no  action. 
This  condition  is  particularly  important  to  the  advertiser, 
as  it  makes  absolutely  futile  any  suggestion  that  does  not 
permit  of  immediate  action  on  the  part  of  the  prospective 
purchaser. 

A  synopsis  of  the  conditions  of  normal  suggestibility  is 
as  follows: 

1.  Fixation  of  attention. 

2.  Distraction. 

3.  Monotony. 

4.  Limitation  of  voluntary  movements. 

5.  Limitation  of  the  field  of  consciousness. 

6.  Inhibition. 

7.  Immediate  execution. 

Exhaustive  study  and  experimentation  by  Dr.  Sidis 
deduced  conditions  relative  to  abnormal  suggestion  that 
were  very  interesting.  Nearly  all  experiments  of  abnormal 
suggestion  were  made  with  hypnotic  subjects,  but  did  not 
neglect  various  phases  of  pathological  conditions  that 
presented  opportunity  for  study  in  this  connection.  He 
found  that  exactly  the  same  conditions  obtain  relative  to 
abnormal  suggestibility  as  those  discovered  in  normal 
suggestibility,  with  the  exception  of  two,  which  were  en- 
tirely absent  from  abnormal  suggestibility.  These  two 
were  the  conditions  distraction,  and  immediate  execu- 
tion. He  also  discovered  that  in  abnormal  suggestion  it 
is  the  DIRECT  SUGGESTION  that  is  the  most  impor- 


Suggestion  43 

tant,  whereas  in  normal  suggestion  it  is  the  INDIRECT 
SUGGESTION  that  is  most  potent.  In  this  connection 
an  important  point  was  discovered  which  has  to  do  with 
the  state  of  mind  in  perfectly  conscious  human  beings, 
under  conditions  that  present  almost  perfect  suggestibility 
of  an  abnormal  character,  which  is  the  phenomenon  of 
the  results  of  suggestion  on  men  in  crowds.  A  crowd  or 
group  of  men  present  opportunities  for  abnormal  sugges- 
tion exactly  similar  to  those  experienced  with  the  hypnotic 
subject.  Perfectly  intelligent  normal  human  beings  are 
abnormally  suggestible  when  gathered  together  in  crowds, 
and  under  such  conditions  react  to  suggestion  in  a  manner 
absolutely  foreign  to  their  natural  or  accustomed  habits. 
A  man  in  a  crowd  will  act  through  suggestion  as  those 
around  him  act,  and  he  will  do  things  under  such  condi- 
tions that  it  is  hard  for  him  afterwards  to  believe  or  admit 
he  has  done.  This  fact  is  taken  advantage  of  by  all  skilled 
orators,  and  is  a  perfect  example  of  the  results  of  sugges- 
tion under  abnormal  conditions.  It  is  important  to  the 
theory  of  Dr.  Sidis  to  consider  in  this  connection  that 
such  acts  are  more  likely  to  be  harsh  and  brutish  than 
otherwise  and  give  rise  to  his  deduction  that  there  is  a 
sub-waking,  reflex  consciousness,  entirely  distinct  from 
all  normal  forms  of  human  action,  that  causes  certain 
reflex  actions  under  proper  conditions  of  suggestibility. 
This  theory  is  worked  out  so  logically  in  his  book  that  one 
must  be  almost  abnormal  himself  to  doubt  the  scientific 
truth  of  his  deductions. 

Suggestion  on  a  crowd  is  peculiarly  effective.  Almost 
everyone  has  observed  it  and  fully  realized  it.  It  is  nat- 
ural that  a  great  many  should  concede  the  same  human 
tendency  to  individuals,  but  the  reverse  is  true.  The 
experiments  of  Dr.  Sidis,  quoted  in  this  chapter,  were 
made  with  the  distinct  purpose  of  discovering  whether 
the  normal  human  being  was  prone  to  react  to  sugges- 
tion. The  results  quoted  prove  that  under  certain  con- 
ditions the  individual  will  react  to  suggestion.  The  vital 
point  for  the  advertiser  is  that  the  necessary  conditions 
are  not  those  that  prevail  for  him. 

If  we  grant  that  the  experiments  made  by  Dr.  Sidis 
are  at  all  conclusive,  we  must  concede  that  suggestion  is 


44  Suggestion 

futile  as  an  advertising  appeal.  Such  a  conclusion  is 
vastly  important,  as  it  upsets  the  favorite  hobby  of 
almost  every  advertiser.  It  will  be  extremely  difficult 
for  a  great  many  to  accept  such  a  conclusion,  due  to  a 
confusion  as  to  the  exact  meaning  of  suggestion.  A  great 
deal  of  copy  is  termed  suggestion  copy,  when  in  reality 
there  is  no  element  of  suggestion  in  it.  The  same  is  true 
of  so-called  "reason- why"  copy.  If,  however,  we  grant 
the  definition  of  Dr.  Sidis,  and  grant  his  experiments 
conclusive,  suggestion  is  a  waste  in  advertising. 


Reason 

There  are  valid  excuses  for  the  varied  interpretations 
given  to  the  term  suggestion,  since  many  unrestricted 
meanings  have  been  read  into  it.  This  charitable  judg- 
ment fails  to  extend  itself  to  those  who  attempt  to  cover 
a  multitude  of  sins  with  the  blanket  of  "reason  why" 
arguments.  Since  Reason  is  conceded  to  be  the  crown- 
ing glory  of  man  alone,  there  is  little  excuse  for  igno- 
rance relative  to  its  limitations.  Superstition  breeds 
ignorance,  and  the  frenzied  pratings  of  those  contribu- 
ting to  the  "reason  why"  controversy  rival  in  dogma 
the  transcendental  scholasticism,with  none  of  the  latter's 
studious  preparation. 

It  is  a  favorite  superstition  that  because  reason  is  pe- 
culiar to  the  human  being  it  is  his  prevailing  guide  to 
action.  Nothing  could  be  much  farther  from  the  truth. 
Man  is  potentially  a  reasoning  being,  but  actually  he  is 
a  creature  of  habits.  Every  normal  man  can  reason  a 
little.  Some  can  reason  a  great  deal.  Few  reason  very 
much,  and  all  reason  as  little  as  possible.  It  is  distinctly 
hard  and  tiresome  to  reason,  and  as  a  result  the  ordinary, 
average  man  lives  his  life  the  easier  way,  relying  on 
habit,  imitation  and  imagination  which  are  quite  suffi- 
cient to  make  the  ordinary  paths  of  life  easy  and  conven- 
tional. 

Since  every  man  has  the  potential  power  to  reason  it 
is  natural  to  assume  that  he  knows  what  reasoning  is. 
Since  advertising  men  are  exploiting  reason  as  the  one 
factor  susceptible  to  profitable  appeal,  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  they  understand  the  result  of  such  an  appeal. 
The  actual  facts  appear  to  point  to  an  aching  void  where 
knowledge  on  this  subject  might  be  expected  reasonably 
to  obtain. 

It  is  a  popular  superstition  to  attribute  any  choice  or 
any  deliberation  to  the  faculty  of  reason.  Both  may  ob- 
tain in  an  operation  that  entails  reasoning  but  neither  is 
an  indication  of  reasoning.  x\n  animal  both  chooses  and 
deliberates,  but  it  is  practically  certain  that  he  never 
reasons.     If  you  place  before  a  dog  or  cat  both  fish  and 

45 


46  Analytical  Advertising 

meat  the  dog  will  choose  the  meat  and  the  cat  the  fish. 
If  you  place  before  a  cat  a  savory  vegetable  and  milk  it 
may  deliberate  some  time,  and  finally  choose  one  or  the 
other,  or  choose  neither. 

Reason  consists  in  the  consideration  of  abstract  rela- 
tions. Reason  is  an  analysis  of  the  abstract  qualities  of 
any  problem  considered.  It  is  not  a  consideration  of  any 
concrete  thing,  or  the  relation,  one  to  another,  of  concrete 
ideas.  The  object  of  any  process  of  reasoning  is  to  attain 
some  particular  solution,  which  the  mind  is  set  on  obtain- 
ing. It  is  neither  haphazard,  nor  the  result  of  ordinary 
association  of  ideas.  Ordinarily,  reason  is  evoked  in  an 
emergency,  when  a  decision  embracing  new  lines  of  action 
must  be  made.  Any  action  that  has  been  once  per- 
formed needs  no  decision  dependent  on  reason,  as  habit 
or  memory  will  serve  in  such  cases. 

When  any  problem  presents  itself  for  solution  through 
reason  its  properties  of  a  general  character  are  abstracted 
and  an  analysis  carried  out  through  similarity.  The 
solution,  or  judgment  finally  achieved  may  result  in  a 
concrete  idea,  but  it  is  made  up  of  abstract  ideas 
resulting  from  the  analytical  process  that  preceded  the 
judgment. 

An  illustration  given  by  James  is  given  herewith,  as 
it  represents  the  type  of  decision  often  made  by  a  pur- 
chaser of  goods,  which  is  one  involving  no  reason  at  all, 
but  more  likely  a  choice  from  emotion:  ''Suppose  I  say, 
when  offered  a  piece  of  cloth,  T  won't  buy  that:  it  looks 
as  if  it  would  fade,'  meaning  merely  that  something  about 
it  suggests  the  idea  of  fading  to  my  mind — my  judgment, 
though  possibly  correct,  is  not  reasoned,  but  purely  em- 
perical;  but  if  I  can  say  that  into  the  color  there  enters 
a  certain  dye  which  I  know  to  be  chemically  unstable, 
and  that  therefore  the  color  will  fade,  my  judgment  has 
been  applied." 

In  a  process  of  reasoning  the  analysis  naturally  pre- 
sumes a  comparison  of  ideas  that  occurs  entirely  from 
within  the  mind.  No  outside  stimulus  enters  in  the 
reasoning.  The  consideration  is  entirely  that  of  abstract 
ideas,  which  is  the  important  phase  of  the  mental  process 
particularly  interesting  to  the  advertiser. 


Reason  47 

The  most  important  consideration  in  relation  to  the 
scope  of  reason  as  appUed  to  its  probable  value  as  a  matter 
of  appeal  is  the  fact  that  reason  plays  but  a  most  unim- 
portant part  in  the  ordinary  routine  of  the  average  man's 
existence.  If  but  few  men  understood  German  no  adver- 
tiser would  attempt  to  sell  his  product  through  an  appeal 
in  German.  The  faculty  is  potential  in  the  mind  of 
almost  any  man  to  learn  and  understand  German,  but 
few  do  understand  it,  or  possess  any  facility  in  its  use. 
Exactly  the  same  principle  applies  to  the  matter  of  reason. 
Any  normal  human  being  has  the  faculty  of  reason,  and 
under  certain  circumstances  may  develop  a  remarkable 
facility  in  exercising  its  powers,  but  the  fact  remains  that 
the  ordinary  conduct  of  life  demands  but  little  exercise 
of  reason,  and  as  a  result  the  great  majority  of  human 
beings  do  little  or  no  reasoning  from  one  day's  end  to  the 
other.  It  is  therefore  unprofitable  for  the  advertiser  to 
center  his  appeal  around  copy  that  presumes  the  exercise 
of  a  function  so  slightly  developed  in  the  average  man  as 
that  of  his  faculty  of  reason. 

It  is  a  very  common  superstition  of  both  the  advertiser 
and  the  average  man  that  the  guiding  principle  of  human 
life  is  conduct  through  reason,  whereas  habit  is  the  pre- 
vailing motive.  Anything  that  has  once  been  done  is  the 
easier  to  do  a  second  time,  and  the  prevailing  tendency 
of  human  activity  is  to  choose  the  easier  way.  It  is  only 
in  the  face  of  an  entirely  new  problem  that  there  is  the 
slightest  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  mind  to  invoke  the 
power  of  reason  in  order  to  arrive  at  a  solution.  Even  in 
such  contingencies  the  emotions  are  quite  as  likely  to 
present  a  solution  of  the  problem,  on  which  our  action 
will  be  as  confidently  predicated  as  if  decided  by  a  matter 
of  judgment,  and  in  many  cases  with  equal  likelihood  of 
ultimate  satisfaction.  It  is  so  very  easy  to  go  through  life 
by  following  the  dictates  of  habit  that  it  is  a  difiicult  mat- 
ter for  a  great  many  people  to  realize  the  slight  part  that 
reason  plays  in  normal  existence. 

If  on  arriving  home  you  imlock  your  front  door  and 
find  it  does  not  open  readily  you  push  and  it  yields  to 
pressure.  This  operation  is  purely  mechanical,  and  the 
result  of  habit,  as  you  have  been  wont  to  do  the  same 


48  Analytical  Advertising 

thing  repeatedly  before.  No  reasoning  is  necessary  to 
secure  entrance. 

If  instead  of  yielding  to  pressure  your  door  resisted 
every  ordinary  effort,  and  a  condition  confronted  you 
foreign  to  any  previous  experience  with  that  door  it  is 
quite  possible  that  some  reasoning  process  might  be  neces- 
sary in  order  to  gain  entrance.  You  would  first  be  sure 
that  you  had  turned  the  lock,  and  try  again  to  push  the 
door  open.  Still  unsuccessful,  you  would  examine  the 
door  and  possibly  note  that  it  had  sagged  and  was  resting 
heavier  on  the  bottom  sill  than  it  should.  Your  mind 
would  turn  to  the  abstract  problem  of  unequal  pressure. 
You  would  call  up  the  abstract  idea  of  friction  caused  by 
pressure,  and  by  analyzing  the  particular  facts  before  you, 
decide  that  by  relieving  the  pressure  at  the  bottom  the 
friction  would  disappear  at  both  top  and  bottom.  You 
make  a  judgment  to  that  effect  and  if  your  reasoning  is 
correct,  on  raising  the  door  slightly  by  an  upward  lift  on 
the  handle  the  door  would  open.  This  process  would  be 
reasoning.  If  you  had  done  before  exactly  the  same  thing 
with  that  door  or  any  other  door  it  would  not  be  reason- 
ing. In  the  latter  event  there  would  be  no  abstract  ideas 
to  consider,  but  by  means  of  a  memory  of  a  similar  situa- 
tion you  w ould  secure  a  result  in  which  the  act  of  reason- 
ing would  not  be  necessary. 

Those  who  rely  on  the  judgment  of  the  men  who  reason 
appeal  to  a  comparatively  small  portion  of  the  population 
susceptible  to  advertising.  Those  who  can  reason  well, 
and  those  who  do  reason  a  great  deal,  owing  to  the  ex- 
igencies of  their  business  lives,  are  not  on  that  account 
men  likely  to  be  susceptible  to  advertising  that  requires 
reasoning.  To  compel  an  action  through  a  tedious  pro- 
cess is  no  more  pleasant  to  the  subject  whether  he  is 
capable  of  performing  the  necessary  mental  gyrations  or 
unaccustomed  to  them.  No  one  likes  to  work  things  out 
during  his  supposedly  leisure  moments,  and  it  is  actually 
at  just  such  moments  that  the  avalanche  of  advertising 
slides  at  the  head  of  the  unsuspecting  reader. 

Aside  from  any  consideration  of  the  capability  of  the 
ordinary  reader  to  reason,  and  entirely  independent  of 
his  desire  to  do  so  in  connection  with  any  advertising. 


Reason  49 

there  is  still  a  more  important  objection  to  employing  it 
as  an  advertising  appeal.  This  objection  is  that  of  in- 
evitable  delay. 

The  process  of  reason  presumes  deliberation  and  de- 
layed conclusions.  A  judgment  presumes  an  array  of 
abstract  ideas.  Both  pertinent  and  impertinent  abstract 
considerations  are  likely  to  arise  in  the  mind  of  any  one 
attempting  to  make  a  decision  through  a  process  of  reason- 
ing. Attention  is  conceded  to  each  idea  as  it  presents 
itself,  and  a  consideration  of  relative  values  is  bound  to 
ensue.  In  the  course  of  this  deliberation  time  is  con- 
sumed, and  a  delayed  judgment  more  likely  to  follow  than 
a  decisive  one  leading  to  voluntary  action.  The  tendency 
of  the  mind  to  put  off  till  tomorrow  is  especially  noticeable 
under  such  conditions.  An  attempt  to  enforce  a  judgment 
through  such  a  process  often  results  in  the  presentation 
of  facts  that  do  not  meet  with  any  "apperceptive  re- 
sponse" on  the  part  of  the  subject,  and  entail  the  tempta- 
tion of  later  investigation,  fatal  to  the  immediate  execution 
of  the  action  so  desirable  to  the  advertiser.  This  is  par- 
ticularly true  when  an  advertiser  attempts  to  show 
through  a  process  of  reasoning  that  his  product  is  superior 
to  that  of  a  competitor,  and  whether  the  name  of  the  latter 
is  mentioned,  or  whether  it  is  not,  the  abstract  idea  of 
comparative  value  arises  to  confuse  the  conclusion  of  the 
subject,  with  a  very  common  result  of  procrastination  or 
downright  scepticism. 

Contemplation  of  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  func- 
tion of  reasoning  should  not  confuse  itself  in  the  reader's 
mind  with  the  popular  mania  known  as  "Reason  Why" 
advertising.  It  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  many  of 
the  latter's  doughty  champions  would  recognize  a  non- 
sequitur  if  met  in  the  middle  of  a  desert,  and  the  argu- 
ments advanced  in  defense  of  the  hydra-headed  monster 
are  so  devoid  of  sense  or  logic  as  to  suggest  the  fallacy  of 
the  false  cause  as  a  prevailing  dementia  among  its  de- 
fenders. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  absurd  lengths  to  which  this 
controversy  has  been  drawn  a  quotation  from  a  booklet 
published  by  the  "discoverers"  of  "reason-why"  copy  will 
serve  as  an  illuminating  example: 


50 


Analytical  Advertising 


"Cream  of  Wheat  is  likewise  declared  to  be  a  con- 
spicuous example  of  an  article  of  merchandise  advertised 
by  general  publicity  copy,  pretty  picture  copy.  There- 
fore, if  much  credit  for  the  success  of  Cream  of  Wheat  is 
due  to  advertising,  then  general  publicity,  pretty  picture 
copy  is  a  success. 

"There  is  no  other  conclusion. 

"If  Colonel  Mapes  were  charged  with  using  'reason- 
why'  copy  he  would  probably  enter  an  emphatic  denial. 


S^^P« 


Typical  Cream  of  Wheat  Copy 


Reason  51 

"But— 

"Does  ColonelMapes  know  what  is  and  what  is  not 
'reason-why'  copy? 

"Let  us  see. 

"Perhaps  Colonel  Mapes  is  like  many  another  adver- 
tiser who  looks  at  form-in-copy  and  doesn't  stop  to  ana- 
lyze the  contents. 

"Perhaps  to  him  an  advertisement  filled  solid  with  type 
is  'reason  why'  and  one  that  contains  99  per  cent  pictorial 
art  and  one  per  cent  text  is  not. 

"Which  is  a  conclusion  altogether  erroneous. 

"For— 

"Mere  words  or  mere  pictures  are  form  only,  and  be- 
hind the  form,  underneath  the  form,  inside  the  form,  is 
the  fact,  the  truth,  the  real  thing  itself. 

"And  the  truth  with  respect  to  Cream  of  Wheat  is  that, 
no  matter  what  may  be  the  form  of  its  advertisement,  no 
matter  how  egregiously  Colonel  Mapes  may  laden  his 
back  cover  space  with  meaningless  art — the  fact  is  that 
Colonel  Mapes  could  not  publish  other  than  a  'reason 
why'  advertisement — 

"Unless  he  should  absolutely  omit  the  name  of  the 
food.  For  Cream  of  Wheat  is  in  itself  a  'reason  why' 
name  that  needs  no  text  to  make  its  merits  known. 

"No  housewife  needs  to  be  told  that  wheat  is  wholesome, 
that  it  is  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  staff  of  life.  As  well 
try  to  paint  the  lily  as  to  reason  out  the  merit  of  wheat. 

"Cream  needs  no  introduction  as  to  the  superlative 
product  of  milk,  while  'cream,'  used  figuratively,  means 
the  best  part  of  the  thing  to  which  it  is  related.  When 
we  skim  the  cream  from  milk  or  from  anything  else,  we 
separate  the  superior  from  the  inferior,  the  fine  from 
the  gross,  the  pure  from  the  less  pure. 

"And  so  when  a  mother  reads  'Cream  of  Wheat,'  she 
instinctively  knows  that  this  is  the  food  of  foods  for  her 
babes,  for  is  it  not  made  of  the  very  cream  of  the  most 
nourishing  of  all  cereals.'^ 

"And  to  add  words  to  Cream  of  Wheat  advertising 
would  simply  be  a  case  of  carrying  coals  to  Newcastle, 
of  bailing  water  through  a  sieve,  of  lighting  a  candle  to 
illuminate  the  sun. 


52  Analytical  Advertising 

"  'Cream  of  Wheat' — just  those  three  words — printed 
without  amplification  of  any  kind,  makes  one  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  'reason- why'  copy  that  ever  appeared 
on  a  printed  page. 

"And  if  Colonel  Mapes  hasn't  known  the  fact  all 
along  (and  laughed  when  critics  lambasted  his  'pub- 
licity' copy)  he  isn't  nearly  as  clever  at  analysis  as  he 
was  in  selecting  that  many  million  dollar  'reason-why' 
name." 

Bend  the  head,  dear  reader,  and  view  with  reverent 
homage  the  picture  of  the  Colonel  as  the  creator  of  an 
INSTINCT  in  the  aforesaid  mother's  trusting  breast, 
chuckling  with  goulish  glee  at  the  consummation  of  a 
miracle   worthy   of  the  greatest  of  the  Lord's  anointed. 

Fancy,  if  you  can,  an  instinct,  bred  during  the  lifetime 
of  "Cream  of  Wheat,"  and  endow  it  with  the  power  of 
transforming  into  a  product  of  reason  the  figurative, 
imaginative  qualities  it  so  strongly  reflects  and  you 
have  a  result  likely  to  tickle  the  risibilities  of  a  man  of 
much  less  humor  than  we  will  assume  the  dear  Colonel 
Mapes  possesses.  Fed  on  such  futile  piffle  and  confused 
by  such  maudlin  solecisms  it  is  no  wonder  that  some 
advertisers  are  willing  to  contribute  to  funds  of  $1,000 
a  minute  for  copywriters  capable  of  making  them  believe 
a  figure  of  speech  is  "reason-why"  copy,  and  that  telling 
others  so  is  quite  sufficient  to  entitle  them  to  at  least 
the   tail   of   the   Golden   Fleece. 

A  little  reasoning  why  among  the  advertisers  is  what  we 
advertisers  need.  It  is  high  time  that  waste  be  turned 
to  profit.  Specious  arguments  are  plentiful,  and  the 
susceptibility  of  the  advertiser  promotes  their  increase. 
One  of  the  strongest  proofs  of  the  absence  of  reason  in 
daily  life  is  the  very  gullibility  of  the  advertiser  himself. 
It  is  worth  thinking  about,  for  we  are  all  equally  guilty. 


Instincts  and  Habit 

In  the  preceding  chapter  especial  emphasis  was  directed 
to  the  importance  of  habit  in  the  daily  routine  of  the 
average  human  being.  Since  there  is  a  decided  tend- 
ency on  the  part  of  a  great  many  to  confuse  habit  with 
instinct  it  appears  pertinent  to  discuss  the  two,  espec- 
ially as  a  comprehension  of  their  importance  is  essential 
to  a  better  understanding  of  the  subject  of  the  emo- 
tions. It  is  with  the  latter  that  the  advertiser  must 
constantly  concern  himself,  and  as  there  is  the  constant 
temptation  to  confuse  the  emotions  with  instinct,  a 
thorough  understanding  of  the  latter  is  more  than  valu- 
able. 

It  is  a  common  fallacy  to  consider  that  a  large  pro- 
portion of  human  or  animal  actions  results  from  instinct. 
In  considering  the  subject  it  must  be  clearly  understood 
at  the  start  that  while  all  animals,  including  human 
beings,  have  instincts  there  is  no  general  function  of 
the  nervous  system  that  may  be  termed  instinct.  The 
human  being  is  endowed  with  a  number  of  instincts  but 
it  is  a  characteristic  of  those  he  possesses  that  they  are 
very  transitory  and  exceedingly  subject  to  inhibitions 
through  the  creation  of  habits. 

An  instinct-  is  a  reflex,  impulsive  reaction  performed 
involuntarily,  and  is  invariably  of  inherited  character. 
The  present  theory  of  instincts  presumes  the  formation 
of  habits,  through  a  long  line  of  ancestors,  that  have 
become  transmitted  as  functional  attributes  of  our 
nervous  systems.  Their  very  character  presumes  an 
habitual  employment  of  certain  acts  through  countless 
generations.  Wundt  divides  all  instincts  into  two 
classes,  which  arise  from  particular  sensations  or  sense 
feelings  having  their  sources  in  either  the  alimentary 
or  genital  organs.  Instincts  manifest  themselves  in  the 
very  young,  and  Prof.  James  is  responsible  for  the  state- 
ment that  by  the  age  of  16  the  array  of  human  instincts 
is  complete. 

It  is  a  very  natural  presumption  that  instincts  are 
transmitted  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the  young  to 
perform  necessary  actions  inseparable  from  development, 


54  Analytical  Advertising 

preservation  and  procreation.  Aside  from  very  early 
infancy  the  child  finds  the  development  of  instincts 
unnecessary  as  the  modern  parent  is  able  to  direct  the 
child  in  almost  every  essential  step  toward  full  mental 
and  physical  growth.  As  a  result  the  exhibition  of 
purely  instinctive  tendencies  is  observed  only  in  very 
young  children,  and  as  a  factor  in  adult  life  its  consid- 
eration has  little  or  no  value  to  the  advertiser. 

The  function  of  the  mind  resulting  in  habitual  per- 
formance is  by  far  more  important,  as  the  normal  hu- 
man being  is  guided  almost  entirely  by  the  unconscious 
performance  of  innumerable  habits.  An  action  originally 
instinctive  may  become  a  habit  through  repeated  per- 
formance, and  the  operation  of  habits  may  entirely 
inhibit  the  tendency  of  the  mind  to  react  instinctively  in 
the  face  of  certain  stimuli. 

A  habit  is  presumed  to  follow  the  repeated  perform- 
ance of  any  given  action,  through  the  tendency  of  the 
mind  to  discharge  impulses  along  the  same  "brain  paths" 
previously  followed  in  responding  to  any  given  sensa- 
tion. The  more  times  any  action  is  performed  in  a 
certain  way  the  deeper  the  path  formed  in  the  brain, 
over  which  the  identical  impulses  were  discharged.  A 
certain  stimulus  being  received  in  the  brain  occasions 
a  certain  return  impulse  which  follows  certain  brain 
paths  in  its  transmission  to  the  motor  centers.  The 
action  which  results  is  definite  and  certain,  dependent  on 
the  exact  path  or  paths  over  which  the  impulse  passed 
in  being  transmitted.  The  recurrence  of  the  same 
stimulus  would  result  in  a  similar  impulse  being  again 
transmitted  to  the  motor  center,  which  would  follow 
the  same  path  previously  traversed  if  that  path  be  suffi- 
ciently distinct  for  the  repetition  of  the  same  message. 
The  continued  repetition  of  the  same  stimulus,  even  at 
irregular  or  extended  intervals,  results  in  an  impulse 
being  sent  in  the  same  old  way,  over  the  same  old  path, 
with  the  attending  similar  result.  The  continued  repe- 
tition of  similar  actions  results  in  a  "fixed"  habit,  the 
importance  of  which  every  one  realizes  when  attempting 
to  break  undesirable  ones.  What  is  true  in  such  ex- 
treme cases   as  those  designated   "bad  habits"   obtains 


Instincts  and  Habit  55 

in  every  other  repeated  action  to  a  greater  or  less  degree. 
Every  one  of  us  performs  some  habitual  actions  each 
day  that  are  just  as  much  a  part  of  us  as  waking  and 
sleeping,  and  the  entire  routine  of  our  daily  life  is  based 
on  just  such  actions,  exactly  similar  in  character,  though 
differing  in  degree.  There  are  always  certain  things 
that  every  one  of  us  does  exactly  the  same  from  one 
year's  end  to  the  other.  Some  of  us  carry  our  keys  in 
the  same  pocket,  always.  Others  of  us  never  fail  to 
have  a  match  in  the  same  easily  accessible  place,  while 
others  never  are  able  to  find  one.  Many  of  us,  after 
arising  in  the  morning  and  eating  our  breakfast,  take 
a  car  at  the  same  point,  get  off  at  the  same  point,  follow 
the  exact  route  every  day  after  alighting,  and  perform 
our  daily  work  in  the  same  manner  from  eight  in  the 
morning  until  five  at  night,  repeating  the  essential  actions 
of  our  waking  hours  in  a  perfectly  conscious,  though 
habitual  and  automatic  fashion,  week  in  and  week  out. 
An  illustration  of  the  force  of  habit  appealed  strongly 
to  me  only  a  few  days  ago.  To  accommodate  our  land- 
lord our  office  had  been  removed  from  the  fifth  floor  of 
our  building  to  the  first  floor  next  door.  The  latter 
location  was  purely  temporary,  until  new  quarters  would 
be  completed.  For  two  years  I  had  gone  to  lunch  at 
eleven  thirty,  returning  over  the  same  route  every  day. 
After  our  removal  to  the  ground  floor  I  had  felt  the 
desire  several  times  to  enter  the  old  door,  take  the  ele- 
vator and  enter  my  old  office.  I  had  resisted  this 
impulse  through  a  distinct  realization  that  my  new  tem- 
porary office  was  next  door.  One  noon,  being  some- 
what preoccupied,  I  entered  the  old  door,  rang  for  the 
elevator,  entered  the  lift  and  actually  walked  into  my 
old  office,  taking  off  my  coat  as  I  entered.  Not  until 
I  turned  to  hang  my  coat  did  I  realize  I  had  no  business 
there  and  had  not  for  possibly  ten  days.  My  every 
action  was  performed  through  habit,  which  had  guided 
my  steps  and  impelled  every  action  I  had  taken  until 
a  sudden  realization  of  misdirected  effort  awoke  my 
slumbering  active  consciousness.  Such  experiences  are 
extremely  common,  and  it  is  absolutely  unnecessary  to 
be  an   "absent  minded"   individual  to  experience  them 


56  Analytical  Advertising 

constantly.  For  those  who  have  given  the  subject  but 
Httle  thought  it  will  be  extremely  interesting  to  review 
as  many  of  the  acts  of  a  whole  day  as  it  is  possible  to 
remember,  when  a  realization  of  the  overwhelming 
number  that  were  due  purely  to  habit  will  be  a  strong 
factor  in  comprehending  its  all  embracing  influences  over 
our   conventional   existence. 

Owing  to  the  extreme  diversity  of  individual  habits 
it  is  a  difficult  thing  to  aim  an  appeal  that  will  result  in 
a  desired  action  through  habit.  This  is  especially  true 
relative  to  a  general  advertising  appeal,  as  even  the 
general  habits  of  individuals,  as  revealed  in  special  locali- 
ties, will  be  absolutely  the  reverse  of  those  in  some  other 
community.  The  one  great  exception  to  this  is  the  very 
successful  appeal  through  the  well-known  habits  regu- 
lating style  and  fashion.  An  attempt  to  change  or 
modify  styles  and  fashions  is  always  risky  for  this  very 
reason,  though  at  certain  seasons  new  styles  and  fashions 
are  as  habitually  accepted  as  those  followed  blindly  for 
the  conventional  period.  The  advertiser  may  easily 
ride  to  success  if  shrewd  enough  to  launch  his  craft  on  a 
wave  of  popular  habit,  just  as  to  attempt  stemming  a 
similar  tide  means  almost  certain  financial  ruin.  A  par- 
ticularly interesting  illustration  of  the  latter  is  given  by 
Mr.  Lorin  F.  Deland  in  "Imagination  in  Business," 
whose  story  of  an  usually  clever  fight  to  perpetuate  the 
Congress  gaiter  habit  proves  the  futility  of  an  attempt 
to   stay  the  march  of  fashion,  once  it  has  become  a  habit. 

The  potential  value  of  habit,  to  the  advertiser,  lies 
in  its  power  to  perpetuate  a  profitable  relationship 
through  satisfaction  after  the  initial  purchase  has  been 
made.  The  advertiser  who  has  once  made  a  satisfac- 
tory sale  starts  the  laws  of  habit  on  a  never-ending 
circle,  and  the  law  of  the  plateaus  of  habit  is  the  bulwark 
of  his  defense  against  competition. 

The  increasing  ease  and  facility  with  which  the  mind 
reacts  in  forming  a  habit  is  represented  not  by  a  gradual 
curve,  but  by  a  set  of  "plateaus."  To  form  a  habit  a 
thing  must  actually  be  done  repeatedly.  No  matter 
how  much  we  may  understand  the  manner  in  which  a 
thing  should  be  done,  we  have  absolutely  no  facility  or 


Instincts  and  Habit  57 

speed  in  doing  it  until  we  have  actually  repeated  the 
operation  a  number  of  times.  A  thing  once  done  is 
the  foundation  of  any  habit,  as  the  mind  will  tend  to 
repeat  the  operation  a  second  time  exactly  as  it  per- 
formed it  the  first.  No  appreciable  increase  in  facility 
is  apparent  until  any  operation  has  been  performed  a 
number  of  times,  That  is,  we  are  able  to  do  nothing 
with  greater  apparent  speed  or  accuracy  until  we  have 
done  it  a  certain  number  of  times,  when  our  facility 
jumps  "without  notice"  to  a  much  higher  plane,  or 
plateau.  The  more  a  thing  is  done,  the  higher  and  higher 
become  the  plateaus,  although  we  are  never  able  to  rise 
above  one  plateau  until  a  certain  number  of  opera- 
tions have  been  performed  on  it,  after  which  we  jump 
suddenly  to  the  next  higher,  and  so  on,  until  the  maxi- 
mum  of  efficiency  is  reached.  This  increase  in  facility 
may  occur  not  only  during  the  practice  or  performance 
of  any  certain  act,  or  set  of  actions,  but  often  succeeds 
a  rest  of  several  days  between  performances. 

This  law  of  acquiring  habit  certainly  may  be  consid- 
ered as  an  active  feature  in  habituating  a  purchaser  to 
any  advertised  brand  of  goods.  The  one  essential  in 
forming  such  a  habit  is  a  complete  satisfaction  in  the 
original  purchase,  which  will  supply  an  emotional  im- 
petus to  the  potential  habit  started  with  the  first  pur- 
chase. The  more  times  a  purchase  of  certain  goods  is 
performed  the  stronger  becomes  the  habit,  and  the  less 
likely  the  purchaser  to  be  influenced  by  any  rival  induce- 
ments for  the  purchase  of  similar  goods.  It  is  the  great 
impelling  force  of  habit  that  builds  an  advertiser's  busi- 
ness, and  it  is  the  inherent  quality  of  honest  goods 
that  makes  a  second  sale  easier  than  the  first.  It  is 
because  of  this  principle,  largely,  that  "honesty  is  the 
best  policy."  If  it  were  as  easy  to  sell  a  dishonest 
article  a  second  and  third  time,  the  merchants  of  the 
country  would  doubtless  be  selling  dishonest  goods.  A 
great  many  of  them  are  still  doing  it,  but  they  are  not 
the  ones  who  are  making  the  advance  to  the  greatest 
business  successes.  It  is  idle  to  prate  of  morals  or  ethics 
to  the  business  man,  but  he  is  keen  for  the  future  profit, 
if  he  is  wise,  and  it  is  the  wise  advertiser  who  endures 


58  Analytical  Advertising 

the  vicissitudes  of  this  day  and  age  and  in  spite  of  them 
grows  and  expands.  The  winning  pohcy  is  rooted  in 
pure  psychology  and  neither  in  ethics,  morals  or  re- 
ligion. As  soon  as  the  entire  business  world  recognizes 
the  profit  in  being  honest,  it  will  become  honest.  He 
who  recognizes  it  in  advance  simply  has  the  edge  on  the 
other  fellow,  and  will,  other  things  being  equal,  pass 
him  in  the  race  as  sure  as  his  advertising  appeals  have 
the  proper  psychological  relationship  to  this  great  prin- 
ciple of  habit. 

There  is  a  secondary  by-product  of  habit  that  in- 
creases the  sales  of  advertised  goods,  which,  in  itself,  is 
a  primary  motive  to  human  action.  It  is  imitation. 
Imitation  is  a  stronger  impulse  in  the  young  than  is 
habit,  for  a  child  will  perform  an  action  for  the  first 
time  through  imitation  that  he  would  have  no  means 
of  performing  through  habit.  It  is  of  primary  import- 
ance in  the  life  of  every  adult  as  well,  as  it  makes  the 
performance  of  initiatory  actions  easy,  and  it  is  always 
the  tendency  of  the  mind  to  perform  that  act  which  is 
easiest.  This  principle  acts  in  extending  the  sale  of  an 
advertised  product  through  the  involuntary  effect  the 
performance  of  such  a  habit  by  one  man  has  on  his 
neighbor  who  witnesses  its  performance.  It  is  imitation, 
in  most  cases,  that  prompts  a  man  at  a  cigar  counter 
to  call  for  a  certain  cigar  he  has  just  seen  another  pur- 
chase. The  conditions  previously  noted  as  being  neces- 
sary to  suggestion  do  not  obtain  in  such  an  instance,  and 
what  many  consider  as  purchases  through  suggestion 
are  nothing  more  nor  less  than  acts  of  pure  imitation.  It 
is  a  most  vital  characteristic  of  the  human  being  to  act 
through  imitation,  and  a  great  deal  of  the  mystery  attrib- 
uted to  the  effects  of  suggestion  are  easily  explained 
when  viewed  from  the  proper  analyzation  of  conditions, 
which  point  in  most  cases  to  acts  of  imitation  and  to 
nothing  else.  The  more  habits  formed  among  the  great- 
est number  for  the  purchase  of  certain  goods,  the  more 
the  consequent  sales  are  increased  through  imitation  of 
neighbors,  friends  and  associates.  The  increase  so  often 
attributed  to  "cumulative  value  of  mediums"  may  be 
accounted  for  by  this  much  more  reasonable  explanation. 


The  Emotions 

There  is  probably  less  popular  misunderstanding  re- 
garding the  scope  and  importance  of  the  emotions  than 
there  is  of  any  other  mental  function.  It  is  certainly 
fortunate  that  this  is  so,  for  in  proportion  to  the  adver- 
tiser's understanding  of  them  he  succeeds  or  fails.  I 
think  that  every  thoughtful,  conscientious  advertiser 
will  admit  that  the  sole  end  and  aim  of  advertising  is 
for  the  purpose  of  inciting  human  beings  to  voluntary 
action.  The  plethoric  general  publicity  advertiser  may 
grudgingly  admit  it,  if  he  clings  to  the  "sub-conscious 
cumulative  effect"  theory,  but  he  is  bound  to  admit 
that  even  his  ultimate  object  is  to  make  sales.  There 
can  be  no  sale  without  voluntary  action.  We  have  an 
eminent  authority  in  Wilhelm  Wundt,  who  states  there 
can  be  no  act  of  the  will  without  an  emotion.  ErgOy 
without  arousing  emotion  there  is  no  sale. 

It  is  certainly  fitting,  therefore,  that  the  advertiser 
should  be  as  keen  in  his  appreciation  of  the  emotions 
as  his  training  and  education  will  permit.  It  is  my  con- 
fident opinion  that  advertisers  now  spending  $1,000,000 
a  year  on  mere  suspicion,  and  reducing  to  laboratory 
tests  every  sample  of  crude  material  that  enters  their 
works,  will  in  a  few  short  years  insist  on  laboratory  tests 
for  their  advertisements.  Such  a  prophecy  is  not  as 
chimerical  as  it  may  appear.  The  publicity  given  to 
imaginary  psycho-criminal  investigations,  in  the  interest- 
ing fiction  by  William  McHarg  and  others,  has  already 
aroused  the  sluggish  "criminologist"  to  a  realization  of 
its  possible  practicability.  Mr.  McHarg's  stories  are  but 
psychological  laboratory  methods  combined  with  fancied 
practical  problems.  No  practical  application  of  their  effi- 
ciency, in  determining  changes  in  respiration  and  blood 
pressure  due  to  emotional  states,  could  exceed  in  prac- 
tical value  the  test  of  every  advertisement  by  just  such 
methods. 

It  is  characteristic  of  every  emotion  that  it  is  accom- 
panied by  definite  physical  changes  in  the  human  body. 
The  most  constant  and  invariable  of  these  are  variations 

59 


60  Analytical  Advertising 

of  the  reflex  conditions  accompanying  breathing  and 
heart  action.  If  any  advertisement  fails  to  excite  a 
noticeable  emotion,  the  delicate  instruments  of  the 
psychological  laboratory  will  detect  the  obscure  manifesta- 
tions of  it,  if  they  are  there.  If  they  are  not  present, 
it  is  a  certainty  that  the  advertisement  is  a  poor  one, 
for  there  will  be  no  volition  without  emotion,  no  sales 
without   action. 

If  advertising  is  ever  reduced  to  a  science,  these  re- 
flections may  justify  themselves.  In  the  meantime  there 
are  plenty  of  practical  facts  about  the  emotions  directly 
applicable  to  present  day  advertising. 

An  emotion  is  a  series  of  feelings,  directly  connected 
in  time,  and  consciously  experienced  as  a  unified  whole. 
Every  emotion  in  some  way  prepares  for  a  voluntary 
action,  or  is  a  part  of  the  volition  itself.  There  is  a  very 
general  distinction  between  the  two  classes  of  emotions. 
Every  one  understands  that  they  may  be  either  pleasur- 
able or  unpleasurable.  It  is  also  fairly  well  understood 
that  strong  emotions  of  either  class  are  usually  attended 
by  bodily  reactions  that  are  not  beneficial.  It  is  particu- 
larly noticeable  that  strong,  unpleasant  emotions,  such 
as  anger,  hate  or  fear  react  in  a  manner  absolutely  pre- 
judicial to  bodily  health.  The  attending  depressions 
succeeding  strong  pleasant  emotions,  such  as  excessive 
joy,  may  also  present  the  same  undesirable  results.  It  is 
no  part  of  the  advertiser  to  arouse  too  strong  emotion,  as 
the  attending  bodily  effects  vitiate  the  desired  end.  The 
one  profitable  emotion  that  every  advertiser  seeks  to 
arouse  is  desire. 

Properly  aroused,  and  skilfully  fostered,  desire  will 
accomplish  the  sale.  The  proper  amount  of  desire  is  an 
emotion  suflftcient  to  recall  its  own  memory  even  after  the 
volitional  moment  of  immediate  execution  has  actually 
passed.  The  opportunity  for  immediate  execution  is 
often  lacking  with  any  advertisement,  but  the  actual 
memory  of  the  emotion,  at  the  proper  psychological 
moment,  is  quite  sufficient  to  arouse  an  equally  favorable 
recurrence  of  the  emotion  itself.  An  emotion  in  this  re- 
spect is  somewhat  similar  to  a  habit.  It  is  subject  to 
similar  potency  in  action  under  recurring  similar  condi- 


The  Emotions  61 

tions.  It  is  characteristic  of  an  emotion  that  the  memory 
of  it  may  be  as  strong,  if  not  stronger,  than  the  original 
state.  The  recurrence  of  an  emotion  in  this  fashion  is 
unhke  habit  in  that  it  must  have  that  essential  of  memory 
known  as  recognition.  In  habit  an  action  is  practically 
unconscious,  and  almost  reflex,  whereas  in  memory  (of 
an  emotion  or  anything  else)  there  must  be  conscious 
recognition  of  the  present  state  as  a  repetition  of  a 
past  one. 

There  are  many  different  phases  of  emotions,  some  ex- 
ceedingly interesting,  but  aside  from  avoiding  the  excita- 
tion of  unpleasant  emotions  the  advertiser  has  little 
concern  with  these  abstruse  manifestations,  except  to 
consider  another  division  of  the  emotions  into  objective  and 
subjective.  An  emotion  is  aroused  in  two  fashions,  and 
concerns  itself  with  two  phases  of  mental  activity.  It 
arises  either  from  stimuli  from  within,  such  as  the  mental 
consideration  of  certain  ideas,  or  is  aroused  by  stimuli 
from  without.  In  the  latter  case  there  is  the  tendency  to 
refer  the  emotion  to  the  object  arousing  the  emotion.  In 
the  former  case  the  tendency  is  to  amplify  its  scope  by 
turning  the  emotion  inward,  so  to  speak.  It  is  manifest 
that  the  skill  of  the  advertiser  arises  in  his  ability  to  con- 
nect with  his  product,  through  his  advertisement,  a 
pleasant  emotion  that  refers  itself  to  the  external  object 
being  advertised,  and  through  such  a  process  secure  a 
voluntary  act  that  fulfills  the  purpose  of  the  advertise- 
ment itself. 

The  potency  of  memory  is  of  direct  concern  to  every 
advertiser,  and  there  is  a  characteristic  of  this  function 
he  should  thoroughly  understand.  It  is  the  various 
forms  of  memory  possessed  by  different  individuals.  This 
diversity  of  form  exhibits  itself  in  the  way  different  people 
remember  things.  Some  are  able  to  remember  distinctly 
exactly  how  any  previously  experienced  object  looked. 
Such  persons  possess  a  visual  memory.  Others  are  abso- 
lutely unable  to  remember  distinctly  any  visual  particu- 
lars of  a  previous  experience.  Some  have  distinct  motor 
memories.  Some  distinct  tactual  memories.  Others  dis- 
tinct auditory  memories,  etc.  Any  advertisement  that 
does  not  possess  as  an  attribute  the  element  of  immediate 


62  Analytical  Advertising 

execution,  must  depend  on  memory  to  enforce  its  later 
execution.  It  is  thus  important  to  rely  on  no  one  element 
in  the  expectation  of  a  result  from  memory.  Simply  a 
picture  of  any  kind,  or  even  a  trade  mark,  is  thus  pos- 
sessed of  no  power  over  the  man  who  has  no  sense  of  visual 
memory,  and  there  is  a  large  proportion  of  men  who  do 
not  possess  it.  The  best  kind  of  picture  is  a  vivid  word 
picture.  The  result  of  such  an  image  will  be  a  memory  of 
it  translated  by  the  reader  into  terms  of  his  particular 
form  of  memory.  A  successful  picture  of  this  kind  is 
most  effectively  translated  into  any  of  the  various  forms 
of  memory  through  an  appeal  to  imagination. 

The  advertisement  which  solves  the  problem  of  arous- 
ing an  emotion  that  will  prompt  immediate  execution  is 
naturally  the  most  effective.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
memory  fades  very  rapidly  after  two  seconds,  when  it  is 
most  vivid.  At  the  end  of  twenty  minutes  we  have  for- 
gotten more  of  an  experience  than  we  have  a  tendency  to 
forget  during  the  ensuing  several  weeks.  If  the  emotion 
aroused  serves  to  connect  the  advertisement  with  some 
method  of  performance  applicable  to  a  future  time,  the 
element  of  fading  memory  is  of  course  minimized.  The 
object  of  the  coupon  is  admirably  served  through  this 
principle,  as  any  one  moved  to  employ  a  coupon  over- 
comes for  the  advertiser  the  inevitable  fading  memory 
that  ordinarily  succeeds  sensation,  feeling,  emotion  or 
any  other  mental  functioning.  The  "Do  It  Now"  idea 
is  to  prevent  this  characteristic  tendency  of  every  mind 
as  exhibited  by  the  rapidly  fading  memory. 

Where  there  is  no  opportunity  for  securing  an  imme- 
diate execution,  the  emotion  of  desire  must  be  strongly 
linked  through  association  with  as  many  pleasant,  inter- 
esting images  as  possible.  Its  recall  depends  on  the 
strength  of  these  "apperceptive"  ideas,  and  their  inherent 
tendency  to  become  associated  when  the  moment  of  buy- 
ing presents  itself. 

Up  to  this  point  in  the  discussion  I  have  attempted  an 
analysis  of  various  mental  functions,  to  appeal  through 
which  seems  futile  if  considered  as  specific  individual  ap- 
peals. I  am  convinced  that  appeals  through  reason  and 
suggestion  for  instance,  are  the  last  appeals  an  advertiser 


The  Emotions  63 

should  attempt  to  make,  if  he  expects  to  move  ordinary, 
average,  normal  human  beings.  I  do  not  wish  any  one 
to  understand,  however,  that  this  exposition  is  for  the 
purpose  of  even  implying  that  mental  actions  of  any  kind 
are  simple,  or  that  it  is  possible  to  consider  any  voluntary 
act  as  the  result  of  any  simple  impulse.  On  the  contrary, 
every  human  act  is  a  very  complex  affair,  and  the  pur- 
chase of  any  product  influenced  by  an  advertisement  is 
one  dependent  on  a  combination  of  mental  processes. 
Among  the  elements  influencing  any  action  of  this  kind 
it  is  quite  probable  that  a  certain  amount  of  reasoning 
may  enter,  and  that  under  the  proper  conditions  sugges- 
tion may  be  a  factor.  The  point  I  have  attempted  to 
make  is  that  there  are  certain  functions  of  the  mind  of 
exceedingly  doubtful  value,  if  employed  individually  and 
specifically  for  the  purpose  of  influencing  men  to  buy. 
The  strongest  appeal  is  fundamentally  that  which  com- 
bines, in  exactly  correct  proportions,  the  various  elements 
that  produce  purchasing  action.  It  is  obvious  that  no 
one  knows  or  understands  just  what  this  proportion  is, 
for  we  would  then  possess  the  perfect  advertisement, 
which  I  think  it  is  safe  to  say  has  not  yet  been  discovered. 
Many  profess  to  believe  that  advertising  will  always 
remain  a  sure  gamble,  and  they  may  be  right.  There 
are  scientific  methods  of  lessening  the  odds,  however,  and 
one  of  them  is  experiment.  Copy  reflecting  nothing  but 
suggestion  might  be  tested  in  a  certain  way.  A  duplica- 
tion of  the  same  test,  with  copy  appealing  to  reason, 
would  present  some  basis  for  comparison.  A  large  num- 
ber of  such  tests,  covering  a  considerable  period,  and 
reduced  to  a  definite  record  of  results,  might  be  carried 
on  by  actual  advertisers.  By  testing  the  specific  value 
of  each  appeal,  the  result  would  doubtless  astound  a  good 
many.  If  ten  advertisers  published  copy  at  the  same 
time,  each  piece  of  copy  the  same  size,  and  in  the  same 
mediums,  their  results  would  prove  something,  if  the 
experiment  were  properly  conducted.  If  this  ten  appealed 
purely  through  suggestion,  and  another  ten  appealed 
purely  through  reason,  and  a  third  ten  appealed  purely 
through  imagination,  the  net  results  of  each  group  of 
ten  would  give  some  idea  of  the  value  of  each  appeal. 


64  Analytical  Advertising 

If  the  results  of  one  group  of  ten,  appealing  through 
imagination,  showed  returns  three  times  more  or  three 
times  less  than  those  of  another  group  of  ten  it  would 
be  pretty  conclusive  evidence  as  to  the  value  of  the 
imaginative  appeal.  The  same  thing  would  be  true  of 
every  specific  appeal  so  tested. 

Such  a  plan  as  that  suggested  above  may  appear  very 
fanciful  to  a  great  many.  However,  there  is  a  great  cry 
being  made  about  "scientific  advertising,"  and  the 
"science"  of  advertising.  It  can  never  become  a  science 
without  literally  thousands  of  such  experiments  being 
conducted.  Such  experiments  might  just  as  well  be  made 
by  advertisers,  in  the  interest  of  science,  as  by  those 
experimenting  through  imaginary  advertisements.  We 
cannot  have  a  science  until  one  or  the  other  is  done. 
The  experiments  suggested  above  would  cover  a  very 
small  portion  of  the  great  task  before  some  future  inves- 
tigator. Such  experiments  would  give  some  line  on  the 
relative  value  of  the  various  elements  of  appeal. 

All  of  the  elements  so  far  discussed  are  in  my  judgment 
the  minor  features  of  adaptability.  The  most  important 
and  profitable  to  the  advertiser  is  the  one  reserved  for  the 
next  chapter.     It  is  the  function  imagination. 


Imagination 

All  human  beings,  whatever  their  age  or  experience, 
are  but  the  reflection  of  the  development  of  the  race. 
This  development  is  essentially  rapid  and  progressive  in 
both  the  man  and  the  race  during  their  infancy.  The 
acquisitiveness  of  the  child  is  especially  noticeable  as  long 
as  the  acquirement  of  knowledge  is  easy  and  as  long  as 
the  diversity  of  new  impressions  absorbs  his  interest.  The 
mental  development  of  the  great  mass  of  humanity  is  es- 
sentially infantile  in  its  scope,  limited  as  it  is,  with  the 
vast  majority,  to  knowledge  from  observation.  The  con- 
cern of  man,  as  a  rule,  is  not  a  study  of  the  abstract,  but 
rather  a  consideration  of  the  concrete. 

The  development  of  the  child  and  of  the  race  is  replete 
with  examples  of  facility  in  observing  the  concrete  mani- 
festations that  are  common  property,  and  of  making 
these  manifestations  personal  experiences.  A  child  ob- 
serves the  manifestations  of  the  conventional  home  life 
about  him,  and  choosing  what  appear  to  him  as  the  essen- 
tials, injects  his  own  being  into  a  relationship  with  them, 
and  enacts  in  play  a  counterpart  of  the  concrete  concep- 
tion he  imagines  is  a  reproduction  of  the  reality.  He 
"plays  house"  in  a  dry  goods  box  for  a  parlor,  with  sticks 
of  wood  as  furniture,  with  a  doll  as  himself,  and  himself 
as  "papa."  During  a  certain  period  of  his  existence  his 
entire  time  is  engrossed  in  observing  concrete  examples  of 
life  about  him,  and  in  combining  these  observations  into 
larger  wholes,  of  which  he  invariably  makes  a  part. 

It  has  been  recognized  for  centuries  that  play  meant 
healthy  development,  but  it  has  been  only  within  the 
memory  of  us  all  that  the  principle  behind  the  play  was 
the  essential.  It  has  yet  to  be  learned  by  many  a  parent 
that  the  tendency  of  the  child  to  "tell  stories"  is  simply  a 
healthy  manifestation  of  the  principle  of  imagination, 
and  one  to  be  encouraged,  instead  of  being  met  with  an 
invitation  to  witness  a  performance  in  the  wood  shed  that 
"hurts  me  worse  than  it  does  you,  my  son." 

The  power  to  combine  observations  of  concrete  mani- 
festations and  to  the  product  add  elements   associated 

5  65 


66  Analytical  Advertising 

through  their  apperception  is  the  function  of  imagination. 
Imagination  is  not  only  the  most  potent  element  of  a 
child's  development,  but  is  the  most  persistent  function 
in  expanding  his  knowledge  and  making  it  of  practical 
utility.  It  is  so  much  easier  than  learning  through  the 
process  of  abstract  thinking  that  it  persists  throughout  as 
the  predominant  force  in  life,  and  is  as  characteristic  of 
the  adult  as  it  is  of  the  race. 

The  most  simple  manifestation  of  the  utility  of  the 
imagination  is  the  conception  by  an  individual  of  any 
concrete  idea,  as  a  reality  outside  of  his  own  previous  ex- 
perience, which  he  makes  real  and  personal  through  a 
combination  of  ideas  that  presumes  his  actual  participa- 
tion in  the  performance  of  the  idea  presented.  The  actual 
performance  of  this  act  of  imagination  is  much  simpler 
than  the  description  of  it.  You  see  a  picture  of  a  man 
painting  a  wall  with  a  stream  of  paint  from  a  hose.  You 
never  saw  such  a  thing  done,  and  never  even  heard  of  it. 
Painting  is  no  new  idea  to  you.  Sprinkling  with  a  hose 
is  no  new  idea.  Neither  are  new  ideas  so  far  as  your  ex- 
perience is  concerned.  The  combination  of  the  two  is 
new  to  you,  but  your  previous  experience  with  both  paint 
and  sprinkling  make  it  perfectly  natural  to  imagine  your- 
self in  the  position  of  the  man  in  the  picture,  and  you  put 
yourself  there.  Combining  this  idea  of  yourself  doing 
what  the  man  in  the  picture  is  doing  is  an  act  of  the 
imagination.  Doing  so  creates  a  desire  to  enact  the  part. 
This  is  the  result  the  advertiser  wants  to  secure.  He  se- 
cures it  through  the  imagination. 

A  higher  manifestation  of  imagination  is  that  which 
does  not  necessarily  include  any  idea  of  the  individual's 
connection  with  a  combination  of  ideas,  such  as  that  ex- 
hibited by  any  artist  or  craftsman  in  creating  any  new- 
conception  which  is  a  synthetic  combination  of  experi- 
enced concrete  ideas.  All  art  is  an  excellent  example  of 
the  workings  of  imagination.  All  inventors  exhibit  the 
workings  of  imagination  in  this  higher  plane.  Most  great 
works  of  all  industrial  progress  are  the  direct  result  of  the 
imagination,  though  the  details  of  most  in  their  technical 
execution  are  the  results  of  later  reasoning.  The  great 
bridge  builders  have  a  perfect  vision  of  what  a  structure 


Imagination  67 

will  look  like  before  any  details  of  its  actual  construction 
are  worked  out.  The  process  is  a  combination  of  definite 
concrete  ideas  worked  up  into  larger  and  larger  wholes 
until  the  ultimate  conception  is  a  perfect  vision,  every 
portion  of  which  has  its  counterpart  in  smaller  concrete 
wholes  previously  experienced. 

The  basic  principle  that  vmderlies  imagination  is  exactly 
the  same  as  that  which  characterizes  reason,  namely,  the 
relating  activity  of  apperception.  In  reason  the  mind  is 
concerned  in  the  analysis  of  abstract  ideas,  whereas  in 
imagination  the  mind  synthesizes  concrete  ideas.  In  reason 
we  tear  down,  while  in  imagination  we  build  up.  The  first 
concerns  itself  in  analyzing  abstract  ideas,  which  is  the 
most  complex  and  difficult  operation  of  which  the  mind 
is  capable.  In  the  latter  the  mind  builds  up,  synthetically, 
actual  concrete  experiences,  a  much  easier  operation,  and 
one  with  which  every  mind  concerns  itself  passively  as 
well  as  actively.  The  essentially  easier  method  of  the  two 
is  evident. 

The  advertiser  who  approaches  his  problem  with  a  well 
defined  idea  that  all  human  beings  are  essentially  prone 
to  act  as  children  act,  is  much  closer  to  a  solution  than  he 
who  assumes  that  his  prospective  customers  are  endowed 
with  superior  reasoning  attainments.  This  is  no  reflec- 
tion on  the  trade  of  the  most  discriminating  class,  as  in 
our  most  pliable  moods  the  tendency  is  to  react  to  "child- 
ish impulses,"  and  the  pliable  mood  is  the  one  every  ad- 
vertiser yearns  to  strike  at  the  proper  moment.  As  pre- 
viously pointed  out,  the  vast  majority  of  individuals,  irre- 
spective of  age  and  experience,  is  the  majority  possessed 
of  concrete  facts  and  information  rather  than  abstract 
knowledge  and  erudition.  It  is  certainly  sane  and  logical 
to  center  the  advertising  appeal  where  it  will  hit  the 
greatest  num})er  in  the  most  vulnerable  spot.  Such  a 
course  is  certainly  that  of  the  appeal  through  imagination, 
as  it  api)eals  to  jill  at  every  age,  and  to  most  almost  uni- 
versally. 

It  is  a  normal  characteristic  of  the  human  being  to 
believe  everything  that  is  presented  as  a  truth.  It  is 
a  characteristic  of  a  large  number  of  individuals  to  dis- 
believe everything,  but  such  mental  conditions  are  con- 


68  Analytical  Advertising 

sidered  abnormal.  It  is  a  mental  law  that  the  inclina- 
tion of  the  mind  is  to  believe  everything  is  true,  if  so 
presented  by  the  various  senses.  This  tendency  to 
consider  everything  as  true  would  work  to  the  civilized 
man's  undoing,  were  it  not  for  another  tendency  which 
inhibits  belief.  Such  inhibitions  increase  in  strength 
according  to  a  man's  apperceptive  ability.  He  who 
knows  most,  doubts  most.  The  child,  up  to  a  certain 
age,  will  believe  anything  told  him.  As  most  men  are 
simply  grown  up  children  the  prevailing  inhibition  is 
one  usually  contained  in  the  very  presentation  of  what 
presumes  to  state  a  truth.  An  advertisement,  therefore, 
has  the  potentiality  of  carrying  conviction  with  it  to 
the  greatest  number  of  its  readers,  unless  it  contains 
what  should  be  an  obvious  inhibition  even  to  the  man 
who  writes  it.  Many  truthful  advertisements  contain 
inhibitions  that  actually  prevent  credence  in  those  pre- 
disposed to  give  them  credit. 

If,  however,  an  advertisement  is  skillfully  prepared, 
it  not  only  gains  credence,  but  has  the  power  of  inciting 
to  action  another  vital  mental  law,  which  will  secure 
for  it  the  desired  result.  This  law  is  the  tendency  of 
the  mind  to  put  in  execution  every  idea  of  an  action 
presented  as  such  to  the  mind.  The  contrary  tendency 
is  some  inhibition  that  prevents  the  mind  from  carrying 
out  its  tendency  to  act.  One  of  the  prevailing  inhibi- 
tions is  reason.  It  is  thus  actually  arousing  inhibitory 
processes  to  induce  a  reader  of  an  advertisement  to 
reason   about   the   ideas   it   presents. 

By  avoiding  inherent  inhibitory  elements  the  adver- 
tisement has  every  opportunity  to  create  belief.  If 
the  advertisement  pictures,  through  words  or  actually, 
an  idea  of  action  there  is  a  distinct  tendency  on  the 
part  of  the  reader  to  perform  the  action  pictured.  As 
most  advertisements  seek  to  create  the  performance 
of  an  act,  new  to  the  subject,  it  presents  the  essential 
requisite  of  inducing  action  through  imagination.  The 
pictured  idea  of  a  new  action  prompts  the  imagination 
of  the  reader  to  place  himself  in  the  picture.  Once 
placing  himself  there  he  is  impelled  to  actually  per- 
form the  action  himself,   and  the  emotion  of  desire  is 


Imagination  69 

added  to  these  elements  and  actually  creates  a  volun- 
tary act  on  his  part,  unless  inhibitions,  stronger  than 
the  desire,  prevent.  The  more  simple  the  depiction  of 
the  action,  the  more  succinct  the  picture  in  concrete 
elements,  the  quicker  the  action  of  the  imagination  and 
the  stronger  the  desire  to  make  the  imagined  result  a 
reality.  No  single  element  of  mental  processes  is  as 
potentially  valuable  to  the  advertiser  as  imagination. 
If  there  is  any  single  function  susceptible  to  profitable 
exploitation  it  is  that  of  imagination.  There  is  none 
other  safe  to  employ  absolutely  alone.  Because  it 
possesses  this  potentiality  it  is  not  necessary  to  employ 
the  imagination  as  the  sole  requisite  of  an  advertise- 
ment, but  it  is  a  certainty  no  other  function  may  be 
relied  on  to  go  so  far  or  work  as  effectively  for  the  adver- 
tiser. 

The  advertiser,  above  all  others,  should  possess  imagi- 
nation himself,  but  in  its  application  should  be  exceed- 
ingly careful  to  limit  its  manifestation  to  the  exploitation 
of  facts,  and  not  confuse  its  sphere  of  usefulness  as  one 
embracing  fancy.  Fancy  is  strictly  a  product  of  the 
imagination,  and  as  a  characteristic  example  presents 
every  fundamental  of  the  more  practical  process.  It  is 
distinctly  harmful  as  the  basis  for  any  advertising  copy, 
however,  as  the  image  it  creates  is  one  never  realized 
in  actual  operation.  An  advertisement  should  appeal 
to  the  imagination,  but  never  to  fancy,  as  the  satisfac- 
tion after  purchase  is  dependent  on  a  preconceived  idea 
that  must  not  be  exaggerated.  An  advertisement  should 
always  spur  the  mind  to  action  by  arousing  an  image 
susceptible  of  not  only  being  duplicated  through  actual 
possession,  but  of  being  appreciated  more  fully  after 
purchase  than  before.  Every  sale  of  an  advertised  product 
should  be  made  on  the  theory  that  more  is  actually 
given  than  advertised.  The  product  that  realizes  this 
ideal  condition  is,  it  must  be  admitted,  rather  rare,  but 
the  success  of  an  advertiser  increases  in  proportion  as 
this  element  prevails.  To  give,  always,  a  little  more 
than  is  promised  creates  an  emotion  of  satisfaction  that 
can  not  be  overestimated.  The  old  theory  of  merchan- 
dising, the  caveat  emptor  basis,  has  wrecked  many  adver- 


70  Analytical  Advertising 

tising  barks  that  skillful  advertising  copy  might  other- 
wise have  piloted  to  success.  It  is  no  part  of  imagina- 
tion's power  to  be  employed  in  fanciful  appeals  that 
create  a  strong  desire  to  purchase,  only  to  disillusion 
the  purchaser  after  the  actual  purchase  fails  to  realize 
the  glowing  description  that  prompted  the  sale. 

Strict  honesty  is  thus  hardly  the  acme  of  success.  It 
is  better  policy  to  restrict  the  description  of  a  product 
to  one  that  leaves  some  room  for  pleasant  surprise,  than 
to  adhere  to  a  strictly  honest  description  that  accentu- 
ates every  detail  with  religious  exactitude.  It  is  better 
to  leave  to  the  imagination  a  few  good  points,  than  tell 
every  favorable  one  and  at  the  same  time  hide  the  bad 
ones. ' 

Graphic  instructions  should  accompany  the  goods 
wherever  sales  are  made  by  advertising.  This  is  par- 
ticularly essential  where  goods  are  sold  to  women,  who 
can  reason  as  well  as  men,  it  is  true,  but  whose  judg- 
ments, nevertheless,  are  more  likely  to  be  based  on  the 
emotions  than  on  any  logical  principle.  This  is  par- 
ticularly noticeable  in  the  marketing  of  any  mechanical 
device.  Many  manufacturers  rely  entirely  on  the  adver- 
tising that  precedes  a  sale  to  insure  satisfaction  in  the 
use  of  an  article  after  it  is  purchased,  which  is  a  great 
mistake.  I  have  been  personally  in  touch  with  the  sale 
of  two  household  devices,  both  of  which,  were  used  by 
women  in  the  kitchen,  and  the  history  of  each  presented 
no  sign  of  a  realization  of  this  principle  prior  to  my 
having  interested  myself  in  their  sale.  No  definite  in- 
structions accompanied  either  device  before  I  undertook 
to  improve  the  condition  of  either  business.  The  lack 
of  success  in  each  case  might  well  have  been  attributed 
to  this  fatal  oversight,  had  not  entire  lack  of  method, 
the  natural  accompaniment  of  such  carelessness,  been 
equally  apparent.  It  is  no  part  of  an  advertising  suc- 
cess to  leave  the  operation  of  any  device  to  the  presumed 
reasoning  power  of  the  purchaser.  He  simply  does  not 
possess  it,  or  resents  the  necessity  of  having  to  employ 
it  through  the  indifference  of  an  advertiser. 

What  applies  essentially  to  a  device,  is  correspond- 
ingly   important    in    the    satisfaction    of    any    purchase. 


Imagination  71 

The  more  complete  and  comprehensive  the  directions 
or  explanations  relative  to  any  advertised  product,  the 
greater  the  satisfaction,  and  hence  the  more  resultant 
sales. 

A  result  of  an  activity  accompanying  imagination,  of 
prime  importance  to  the  advertiser,  is  that  which  in- 
variably manifests  itself  in  connection  with  novelty. 
The  mind  is  constantly  seeking  the  new.  It  is  extremely 
rare  for  the  educated  man  of  ripe  experience  to  realize 
any  real  new  sensations.  Those  he  has  not  before  ac- 
tually experienced  are  perfectly  familiar  through  having 
heard  or  read  of  them.  It  is  harder  to  interest  an  edu- 
cated man  for  this  reason.  The  man  of  narrowed  oppor- 
tunities for  observation  is  by  far  more  susceptible.  There 
are  more  experiences  that  appeal  to  him  as  new.  Every 
mind  is  interested  in  making  its  own  any  new  experience 
that  presents  itself.  This  is  easiest  done  through  imagi- 
nation, which  projects  the  personality  into  any  concrete 
ideas  that  are  presented,  making  the  new  ideas  personal 
experiences.  The  element  of  novelty  is  thus  of  para- 
mount value,  and  I  will  attempt  to  show  later  that  it  is 
only  in  presenting  a  new  idea  to  new  readers  that  is 
sufficient  explanation  of  any  advertised  product's  suc- 
cess, or  even  its  continuous  prosperity.  Novelty  is  one 
of  the  essentials  of  a  successful  appeal  to  the  imagina- 
tion. It  is  almost  always  successful  if  not  confused  with 
fancy,  granting  of  course  that  merit  is  the  foundation  of 
the  product. 

The  element  of  interest  through  novelty,  and  apper- 
ceptive activity  through  imagination  are  constant  and 
invariable  manifestations  of  human  progress,  irrespec- 
tive of  age  or  educational  advantages.  They  are  in  fact 
the  most  important  accompaniments  of  all  progress, 
either  individual  or  racial.  There  never  was  a  single 
new  thing  in  the  world.  Everything  that  has  its  exist- 
ence possesses  it  through  a  combination  of  previously 
experienced  entities.  No  truth  is  more  true  or  more 
vital.  It  is  the  essential  of  all  life,  growth  and  knowl- 
edge. It  is  the  paramount  manifestation  of  mental  ac- 
tivity. It  is  the  strongest  force  in  advertising  appeal. 
I  can  appreciate  no  condition  where  its  efficiency  can  be 


72  Analytical  Advertising 

comparable  with  any  other  single  function  of  mental 
activity,  as. viewed  from  the  advertiser's  position,  which 
is  that  of  the  maximum  profit  for  the  minimum  of  cost. 

There  is  a  growing  tendency  to  discard  the  old  super- 
stition that  man  is  guided  through  reason.  It  is  a  char- 
acteristic of  the  decline  of  a  superstition  to  accompany 
its  admission  by  a  qualified  acknowledgment.  Even  for 
those  "about  to  be  persuaded"  it  is  too  unconventional 
to  admit  more  than  a  partial  truth  at  a  time.  A  result 
of  this  spirit  is  responsible  for  the  admission  by  a  great 
many  that  advertising  may  appeal  through  imagination 
on  small  purchases,  but  that  it  does  not  apply  to  large 
or  important  ones. 

It  is  particularly  hard  for  these  devotees  to  admit 
that  imagination  and  not  reason  impels  purchases,  though 
they  are  absolutely  forced  to  the  admission  that  it  is  a 
potent  factor  in  many  instances.  As  a  concession  they 
seek  to  divide  the  purchasing  power  of  reason  and  imagi- 
nation by  drawing  a  line  of  value,  below  which  imagina- 
tion is  operative,  and  above  which  the  light  of  reason 
holds  full  sway.  Some  even  go  so  far  as  to  name  the 
amount,  endowing  the  magic  sum  of  $1,000  as  possessing 
the  power  of  invoking  reason  in  its  expenditure,  since  it 
is  a  large  sum.  As  most  automobiles  cost  over  $1,000, 
it  is  clear,  from  their  viewpoint,  that  no  automobiles 
may  be  sold  on  any  other  principle  than  that  of  reason. 

The  apparent  absurdity  of  such  reasoning  is  clear  when 
we  consider  the  question  of  relative  values.  One  hun- 
dred dollars  to  most  men  is  by  far  larger  than  is  $1,000 
to  the  average  purchaser  of  an  automobile.  Any  quib- 
bling over  such  illogical  premises  simply  invites  ridi- 
cule. The  solution,  if  any,  is  certainly  one  of  principle 
and  not  of  relative  monetary  values.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  the  purchase  of  a  railroad  or  any  equally  momentous 
undertaking  is  the  result  very  largely  of  reasoning,  though 
imagination  is  bound  to  be  a  factor.  Those  in  a  position 
to  undertake  such  a  purchase  are  by  training  and  habit 
inclined  to  reach  conclusion  through  this  faculty,  but 
the  imagination  certainly  is  a  potent  factor  even  in  such 
cases,  as  the  development  of  such  properties  is  always 
one  of  the  salient  features  in  promoting  such  undertakings. 


Imagination 


73 


The  future  possibilities  are  certain  concrete  images, 
almost  purely  the  result  of  imagination,  which  the  skill 
and  resourcefulness  of  those  able  to  manipulate  such  deals 
usually  consummate. 

It  is  the  portion  of  even  the  exceptional  advertiser  to 
experience  few  situations  where  such  conditions  ordinarily 


Qialmors  r.  t,\  rcnncm 

Spring-  Days  are  Motoring  Days 


Qialmers  Motor  Company 


Detroit,  Mich. 


Typical  Chalmers  Copy 


74  Analytical  Advertising 

obtain,  which  makes  any  analysis  thereof  sufficiently 
fanciful  to   obviate  the  necessity   of  discussion. 

As  a  practical  problem  the  question  daily  arises  in  the 
advertising  of  automobiles.  No  automobile  copy  of  re- 
cent years  created  as  favorable  attention  as  the  copy 
designed  by  Mr.  Harry  Ford  in  advertising  Chalmers 
motor  cars  through  the  imaginative  appeal.  The  cam- 
paign being  started  in  1910  and  continued  until 
the  present  time  was  outlined  by  Mr.  Ford  with  the 
appeal  to  the  imagination  as  the  keynote  of  its  purpose. 
The  illustration  given  on  the  preceding  page  of  one  of 
these  characteristic  advertisements  is  designated  by  Mr. 
Ford  as  typical  of  the  series.  No  keying  is  attempted 
by  Mr.  Ford,  who  feels  it  is  impossible  to  trace  direct 
results  in  any  way.  He  has  advised  me,  however,  that 
more  requests  for  information  resulted  directly  from  this 
copy  than  any  previously  experienced,  and  for  weeks 
after  the  first  appearance  of  this  kind  of  copy  letters  of 
commendation  on  its  conception  and  execution  simply 
overwhelmed  him  with  the  unexpected  nature  of  their 
sincere  praise. 

Single  pieces  of  copy  and  exceptional  short  campaigns 
have  from  time  to  time  created  mild  sensations  in  auto- 
mobile circles,  but  for  sustained  interest  and  uniform 
commendation  the  Chalmers  imagination  copy  has  per- 
haps done  more  to  awaken  the  automobile  manufacturer 
to  the  possibilities  of  an  entirely  unique  method  than  any 
other  previous  campaign.  The  time-worn  method  of 
advertising  automobiles  has  been  to  fill  space  with  tech- 
nical, abstract  expositions  relative  to  length  of  wheel- 
base,  length  of  stroke,  width  of  bore,  drop  forge  axles  and 
similar  abstruse  material.  Such  copy  has  doubtless  sold 
automobiles,  and  a  lot  of  them,  but  could  such  copy 
begin  to  interest  and  move  to  purchase  the  maximum 
number  that  might  have  been  appealed  to  with  a  more 
intelligent  use  of  such  extravagance  of  space?  It  is  hard 
for  a  technical,  unimaginative  man  to  write  other  copy 
than  that  reflecting  his  own  mental  attitude.  It  has 
been  necessary  for  an  imaginative  mind  such  as  Mr. 
Ford's,  not  only  to  conceive  such  a  campaign,  but  pos- 
sess sufficient  courage  to  see  it  through,  for  you  may 


Imagination  75 

rest  assured  it  took  courage.  The  results  in  less  than  a 
year's  time  have  completely  justified  the  experiment. 
A  completely  new  model  announced  about  July  8  of  1911 
resulted  in  orders  of  over  1000  in  about  forty -five  days. 
None  of  the  machines  had  been  manufactured  or  shipped 
to  the  territory  affording  the  orders.  Dealers  took  de- 
posits for  this  model  through  the  desire  of  purchasers 
to  own  the  car  that  had  been  described  to  them  in  an 
understandable,  concrete,  imaginative  way.  They  pur- 
chased, on  confidence,  the  machine  whose  possession 
meant  more  to  them  than  ownership  of  gears,  tires, 
bodies,  transmissions  and  what  not.  The  success  of  this 
imaginative  campaign  is  one  that  will  sooner  or  later  stand 
out  as  the  dawn  of  imaginative  copy  for  automobile 
advertising.  The  "thousand  dollar  reason  why  limit" 
is  as  ridiculous  in  selling  any  automobile,  as  imaginative 
copy  has  been  successful  in  selling  the  Chalmers. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  restrict  the  development  of 
imaginative  copy  to  either  mediums  or  product.  Street 
car  advertising  lends  itself  with  peculiar  force  to  imagin- 
ative copy,  and  some  excellent  examples  of  it  may  be 
found  in  any  street  car,  side  by  side  with  copy  almost 
anyone  would  condemn  except  the  men  who  write  and 
pay  for  it.  The  mental  picture  is  best  produced  through 
the  imagination,  and  in  proportion  to  its  strength  will  be 
effective.  It  is  an  easier  matter  to  remember  forceful 
imaginative  copy  than  it  is  to  recollect  arguments  or 
reasons.  The  percentage  of  advertising  that  may 
produce  an  immediate  action  is  much  smaller  than  that 
relying  on  memory  for  later  results.  The  copy  most 
likely  to  endure  in  a  prospective's  mind  is  imaginative 
copy. 

It  is  possible  to  draw  a  picture  for  the  imagination 
even  in  small  classified  space.  A  word  picture  is  just 
as  strong  for  many  persons,  as  a  real  picture,  and  is 
quite  as  likely  to  produce  results  of  the  desired  charac- 
ter. In  considering  imagination  as  a  strong  element  in 
copy,  it  is  not  necessary  to  limit  its  usefulness  to  actual 
advertisements.  All  sales  letters  present  opportunities 
for  securing  action  through  the  imagination.  Figures 
and  quotations  are  often  neccessary  in  sales  letters,  and 


76  Analytical  Advertising 

if  placed  first  may  be  followed  most  effectively  by  draw- 
ing a  picture  for  the  prospect,  the  elements  of  which 
reflect  the  imaginatiA^e  appeal  discussed  throughout  this 
chapter. 

In  considering  the  importance  of  the  imagination  from 
an  advertising  viewpoint,  it  is  well  to  consider  it  as  an 
essential  part  of  every  phase  of  a  campaign.  All  litera- 
ture and  letters,  as  well  as  copy,  lend  themselves  to  the 
reflection  of  this  important  principle,  and  for  most  propo- 
sitions will  be  found  profitable.  Many  advertisers  are 
fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  the  imaginative,  and  it 
is,  of  course,  unimportant  whether  they  call  it  Imagina- 
tion, Suggestion,  or  Reason  Why.  A  thorough  under- 
standing of  terms  would  doubtless  dissipate  a  great  deal 
of  the  confusion  which  now  lies  in  the  minds  of  many, 
and  for  that  reason  more  stress  has  been  placed  on  the 
subject  than  would  have  been  justified  otherwise. 


Cumulative  Value 

Any  successful  business,  whether  an  advertised  business 
or  not,  is  the  result  of  growth.  It  is  very  difficult  to  create 
a  successful  business,  as  both  trade  and  profits  appear  to 
pile  up  gradually,  with  the  tendency  to  constantly  increase. 
In  practically  every  unadvertised  business  a  maximum  of 
increase  is  attained  in  a  comparatively  short  time.  In 
an  advertised  business  the  limit  of  profitable  extension 
is  usually  commensurate  with  the  skill,  courage  and  ability 
of  the  advertiser.  Some  advertised  businesses  exhibit  the 
maximum  of  profit  quickly,  defying  all  attempts  to  expand 
thereafter.  Such  cases  are  comparatively  rare  among 
those  skillfully  advertised,  although  the  conditions  of 
certain  lines  of  trade  preclude  any  increase  after  a  certain 
limit  of  possible  business  is  reached. 

An  accompaniment  of  advertised  business  is  this 
tendency  of  cumulative  increase.  This  marked  char- 
acteristic of  most  advertised  businesses  has  been  turned 
to  immense  profit  by  the  publishing  interests,  who  long, 
long  ago  pounced  on  the  principle  and  declared  it  the 
essential  property  of  the  advertising  medium,  instead  of 
a  principal  of  the  business  advertised.  This  pernicious 
doctrine,  so  skillfully  fostered  by  the  space  seller,  has 
developed  for  him  a  superstitious  fetichism  that  is  ac- 
tually venerated  as  an  unshakable  law.  Conceived  in 
the  dim  past  the  doctrine  of  cumulative  value  is  kept 
alive  by  the  seller  of  advertising  through  the  pure  ignor- 
ance of  the  buyer  of  advertising.  In  discussing  the  sub- 
ject here  let  it  be  thoroughly  understood  that  any  attack 
of  mine  is  not  against  the  principle  of  cumulative  value, 
but  against  its  appropriation  by  the  publisher  who  claims 
cumulative  value  is  an  attribute  of  his  medium,  whereas 
it  is  strictly  an  attribute  of  honest,  satisfactory  business 
methods.  Cumulative  value  is  no  more  the  peculiar 
attribute  of  an  advertised  business  than  it  is  of  an  un- 
advertised business.  An  advertised  business,  however, 
has  a  potential  area  manifestly  greater  than  any  unad- 
vertised business.  To  secure  real  cumulative  value  the 
advertiser  must  be  infinitely  careful,  honest  and  honor- 

77 


78  Analytical  Advertising 

able  in  dealing  with  purchasers,  and  through  such  poli- 
cies he  may  expect  a  degree  of  cumulative  value  that  is 
absolutely  beyond  any  possible  return  of  such  character 
for  the  unadvertised  enterprise. 

It  has  never  been  hard  for  the  seller  of  advertising  to 
hoodwink  the  purchaser  of  advertising.  The  proper 
appeal  to  our  imagination  will  always  "get"  us,  no  matter 
how  unlikely  the  slick  argument  is,  when  viewed  in  the 
sane  light  of  reason.  The  psychological  explanation  of 
this  superstition  relative  to  cumulative  value  is  easy. 
The  sellers  of  advertising  have  always  said  it  was  the 
true  word.  Few  if  any  advertisers  ever  doubted  the 
statement  sufficiently  to  put  it  to  a  true  test.  iVs  a 
result  those  who  failed  to  succeed  were  content  to  berate 
themselves  as  the  "experts"  berated  them,  and  the  failures 
were  chalked  up  to  "wrong  copy,"  or  what  is  more  prob- 
able as  the  experts'  opinion,  "not  enough  money  spent." 
There  are  plenty  of  other  excuses  that  might  be  conjec- 
tured, but  these  two  are  sufficiently  prevalent  to  make 
a  catalogue  of  the  others  superfluous. 

The  favorite  platitude  of  the  seller  of  advertising  is 
"constant  dripping  wears  away  the  biggest  stone."  A 
careful  analysis  of  the  meaning  behind  such  a  platitude 
will  convince  most  advertisers  that  their  chances  for 
success  through  such  a  process  are  about  as  slow  and 
sure  during  the  course  of  an  ordinary  life  time,  as  the 
practical  geological  result  is  likely  to  be  manifest  in  any 
ten  human  generations.  The  cumulative  value  of  pub- 
lications and  the  wearing  away  of  geologic  formations 
are  equally  effective  and  practical. 

The  concrete  manifestations  of  this  platitude  take  the 
following  forms   as   selling  points: 

Every  advertiser  is  familiar  with  each  of  these  statements : 

1.  The  first  insertion  of  your  advertisement  is  no 
practical   test   of   its   efficiency. 

2.  In  order  to  secure  any  practical  test  for  your  ad- 
vertisement it  must  appear  not  less  than  three  times,  in 
a  publication. 

3.  By  constant  repetition  of  your  advertisement  in 
a  publication  you  will  at  last  secure  profitable  returns 
for  yourself  from  it. 


Cumulative  Value  79 

4.  You  cannot  secure  profitable  results  by  spasmodic 
insertions  of  an  advertisement  in  any  publication.  If 
you  do  not  have  the  "courage"  to  run  an  advertisement 
constantly  and  long  you  will  fail. 

5.  The  longer  and  more  persistently  you  run  your 
advertisements  in  any  publication  the  more  profitable 
it  will  become  for  you. 

A  self-evident  corollary  is  the  necessary  result  of  such 
superstitions.  It  is  that  unless  the  advertiser  has  an  un- 
limited amount  of  money  for  experimental  purposes  and  an 
unbounded  faith  in  such  representations  he  will  fail,  unless 
some  divine  providence  endows  him  with  a  degree  of 
prescience  that  insures  copy  of  miraculous  pulling  power. 

On  entering  the  advertising  field  I  was  aware,  in  a 
more  or  less  hazy  fashion,  that  each  of  the  above  five 
"laws"  were  supposed  to  have  been  written  by  some 
advertising  Moses  and  to  be  the  more  reverenced  on  ac- 
count of  their  Apocryphal  character  than  might  be  the 
case  were  their  authority  vested  in  any  ordinary  hUman 
of  modern  times.  With  characteristic  agnosticism  I  asked 
to  be  shown,  but  no  facts  nor  figures  were  adducible.  1 
have  yet  to  learn  of  any  scientific  data  in  support  of  the 
prevailing  dogma.  I  quickly  commenced  gathering  data 
myself,  with  the  uncontrovertible  result,  the  farther  I 
went,  that  each  and  every  claim  in  support  of  this  com- 
mon belief  was,  in  my  particular  case,  absolutely  erroneous. 

During  my  extreme  infancy  as  an  advertiser  I  exhibited 
a  degree  of  bull-headed  obstinacy  that  was  the  despair 
of  many  a  magazine  special.  Their  cumulative  value 
theory  attracted  me  mightily,  first  because  it  violated 
every  principle  of  psychology,  logic  and  reason  and  never- 
theless appeared  to  be  the  guiding  principle  of  every 
seller  of  space  I  met,  as  well  as  the  accepted  belief  of 
most  advertisers.  Second,  because,  if  true,  it  certainly 
meant  a  great  deal  to  me  as  an  advertiser  and  I  wanted 
to  be  sure  of  it. 

But,  I  had  to  be  shown,  and  no  one  in  over  four  years 
has  been  able  to  do  it.  I  have  listened  to  many  spell- 
binders, and  have  participated  in  many  wind  jammings 
and  have  many  the  time  and  oft  asked  for  facts  and 
figures  to  support  the  fanciful  oratory  so  plentifully  em- 


80  Analytical  Advertising 

ployed  in  eulogizing  old  cumulative  value.  No  facts — 
no  figures — just  faith.  Faith  is  a  great  thing,  and  with- 
out it  this  life  would  be  a  desert  waste,  but  in  buying 
advertising  of  the  seller  of  space  I  prefer  faith  in  facts 
and  figures  to  faith  in  ignorance,  especially  as  faith  in 
the  seller's  theory  is  purely  at  my  expense.  He  rarely 
if  ever  tries  it,  you  will  notice. 

With  the  firm  conviction  that  the  problem  was  in 
reality  one  easy  of  solution  in  my  particular  case  I  started 
out  to  solve  it,  and  did  so  to  my  own  satisfaction.  I 
exhibited  my  results  to  the  devotees  of  the  dogma.  They 
were  considerably  surprised  to  learn  that  my  records 
were  absolutely  open  to  their  inspection,  and  on  account 
of  it  were  much  inclined  at  first  to  entertain  grave  doubts 
as  to  my  sanity.  As  time  went  by  and  the  records  of 
month  to  month  strengthened  in  convincing  material, 
doubts  of  my  personal  sanity  seemed  to  wane,  and  in 
its  stead  the  records  were  dubbed  "perfectly  extraor- 
dinary, don't  you  know."  "Most  interesting  and  remark- 
able, but  absolutely  unique ^  don't  you  know."  Never 
having  had  any  experience  in  advertising  I  began  to 
view  my  proposition  as  the  one  great  exception,  and  for 
a  number  of  months  took  pardonable  pride  in  having 
evolved  a  business  that  presented  manifestations  abso- 
lutely contrary  to  those  of  any  other  advertiser  since 
advertising  was  discovered.  As  time  passed  I  became 
directly  interested  in  the  exploitation  of  other  proposi- 
tions through  advertising,  and  from  time  to  time  secured 
more  or  less  complete  records  of  the  results  of  other 
advertisers.  The  facts  then  began  to  come  out.  My 
original  observations  relative  to  cumulative  value  were 
exactly  the  same,  in  all  essential  particulars,  as  those 
that  invariably  manifested  themselves  wherever  careful 
dependable  records  were  kept.  All  of  my  own  records 
will  be  given  later,  as  well  as  a  number  of  others,  and 
they  will  all  show  that  the  prevailing  theories  of  cumu- 
lative value  are  absolutely  erroneous,  misleading  and  in 
many  instances  are  absolutely  fanciful. 

By  means  of  accurate  records,  without  which  few  adver- 
tisers have  any  excuse  for  being,  I  succeeded  in  deducing 
the  following  laws  jor  my  own  business: 


Cumulative  Value  81 

The  first  insertion  of  a  tried  piece  of  copy  in  a  new 
medium  will  pay  better,  in  every  way,  than  any  subse- 
quent insertion  of  the  same  copy  in  the  same  magazine. 

The  reappearance  of  the  same  piece  of  copy  in  the  same 
magazine  will  pay  less  in  direct  proportion  to  the  number 
of  times  it  runs  consecutively. 

By  inserting  a  certain  piece  of  copy  in  a  certain  magazine 
and  skipping  every  subsequent  issue  until  the  first  (or  any 
insertion)  pays  out  it  is  possible  to  use  certain  publications 
that  would  mean  almost  dead  loss  if  used  consecutively. 

Changing  copy  and  running  consecutively  will  not 
prove  any  more  profitable  than  running  the  same  copy 
consecutively,  if  each  change  is  equally  strong  copy. 

The  first  piece  of  copy  in  any  publication  will,  per  dollar 
spent,  produce  more  business  than  any  piece  of  copy  ever 
run  in  that  publication. 

The  longer  any  copy  is  run  in  any  publication  the  more 
it  costs  to  run  it  and  the  less  results  it  pulls. 

All  advertising  from  which  these  rules  were  deduced 
was  keyed  according  to  size  of  space.  The  spaces  used 
varied  from  four  lines  classified  to  three  page  readers. 
Every  piece  of  copy  of  a  certain  size,  in  a  certain  medium, 
was  keyed  the  same  irrespective  of  the  number  of  times 
it  showed,  or  the  intervals  succeeding  insertions.  A  piece 
of  fifty-six  line  copy  run  in  1909  in  Everybody's  Magazine, 
for  instance,  was  keyed  29.  It  was  repeated  often,  the 
latest  showing  being  in  July,  1911,  and  keyed  the  same. 
This  style  of  keying  gives  every  benefit  to  the  magazine, 
as  sales  are  just  as  likely  to  result  one  time  as  another,  as 
a  continuous  follow-up  is  working  on  every  prospect  all 
the  time.  All  inquiries  that  come  in  at  any  one  time  may 
be  the  result  of  the  same  advertisement  in  any  one  of  the 
preceding  issues.  This  results  in  giving  any  single  inser- 
tion a  decidedly  favorable  handicap,  but  in  spite  of  this 
every  rule  outlined  above  has  proved  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  cumulative  value  in  any  publication.  Now  and 
then  some  isolated  cases  violate  these  rules,  and  more 
inquiries  may  be  secured  on  a  second  insertion  than  on 
the  first.  By  subtracting  those  proportionately  attribu- 
table to  the  first,  it  would  almost  invariably  prove  the 
second  or  later  insertion  poorer  than  the  first.    By  keying 


82  Analytical  Advertising 

all  the  same  in  this  fashion,  it  has  also  been  possible  to 
maintain  a  fairly  even  average  of  interest  for  several 
months.  Sometimes  an  intermediate  insertion  would 
actually  show  better  than  the  first  or  subsequent  inser- 
tions. Such  cases  usually  proved  some  particular  feature 
responsible  for  such  differences.  Better  position,  some 
especially  interesting  article  in  some  number,  or  one  of 
any  number  of  possible  explanations  would  be  evident. 
In  some  cases  no  explanation  would  be  apparent,  but  one 
great  rule  has  never  been  changed,  and  it  is  a  death  blow 
to  any  publication  trying  to  sell  me  space  on  cumulative 
value  theory.  Every  publication  either  wears  out  for  any 
single  proposition,  if  used  consecutively,  or  increases  in  cost 
to  a  decidedly  marked  degree,  usually  prohibitive. 

Varying  in  no  essential  particulars  every  set  of  records 
I  have  had  any  opportunity  to  examine  have  proved 
exactly  the  same  things  as  mine  have  proved. 

Several  years  ago  a  popular  magazine  conducted  a  sub- 
scription campaign  which  actually  embraced  the  use  of 
magazines  as  well  as  newspapers.  The  subscription  price 
was  $1.00.  The  size  of  the  space  varied  somewhat  in  dif- 
ferent mediums,  but  the  table  of  advertising  costs  will 
show  the  approximate  sizes.  The  results  of  this  campaign 
were  given  to  me  with  the  recjuest  that  I  use  them  with 
no  mention  of  the  publication's  name.  The  copy  pulled 
subscriptions  direct. 

The  tabulated  data  of  this  campaign  follows: 


Cost 

No. 

Cost 

Date  run 

Medium 

of  ad. 

of  subs. 

per  sub. 

March 

Technical  World 

$40 . 00 

51 

$0 .  79 

April 

Technical  World 

40.00 

20 

2.00 

Feb.  19 

Saturday  Evening  Post 

250.00 

338 

.72 

March  6 

Saturday  Evening  Post 

250.00 

181 

1.38 

Feb.  12 

Scientific  American 

37.50 

47 

.80 

Feb.  17 

Youth's  Companion 

200.00 

234 

.85 

March 

Circle 

30.00 

10 

3.00 

April 

Circle 

30.00 

3 

10.00 

Feb.  26 

Collier's  Weekly 

100.00 

136 

.73 

Feb.  19 

Literary  Digest 

45.00 

58 

.74 

March  19 

Literary  Digest 

62.50 

35 

1.80 

March 

American  Boy 

50.00 

66 

.75 

Feb.  3 

Chicago  Journal 

12.00 

17 

.71 

Mar.  3 

Chicago  Journal 

27.00 

13 

2.07 

Feb.  6 

Chicago  Examiner 

90.00 

258 

.35 

Feb.  27 

Chicago  Examiner 

90.00 

94 

.95 

Cumulative  Value  83 


Date  run  Medium 

Mar.  6  Chicago  Examiner 

Mar.  13  Chicago  Examiner 

Feb.  5  Chicago  American 

Feb.  6  New  York  American 

Mar.  6  New  York  American 

March  American  Magazine 

April  Cavalier 

April  Argosy 

April  Rail  Road's  Magazine 

April  All  Story 

Feb.  13  Chicago  Inter  Ocean 

Mar.  ()  Chicago  Inter  Ocean 

Feb.  15  New  York  Journal 

Mar.  8  New  York  Journal 

Feb.  27  San  Francisco  Examiner 

Mar.  20  San  Francisco  Examiner 

Feb.  27  Los  Angeles  Times 

Feb.  27  Denver  Post 

Feb.  27  New  York  World 

Feb.  25  Detroit  News 

Feb.  27  St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat 

Feb.  27  Minneapolis  Journal 

Mar.  13  Minneapolis  Journal 

Mar.  27  Minneapolis  Journal 

Feb.  27  New  York  Herald 

Feb.  27  Chicago  Record-Herald 

Feb.  27  Philadelphia  Times 

Mar.  20  Philadelphia  Times 

Feb.  27  Los  Angeles  Examiner 

Mar.  13  Los  Angeles  Examiner 

Feb.  27  Chicago  Tribune 

Mar.  20  Chicago  Tribune 

Feb.  27  Boston  Post 

Mar.  13  Boston  Post 

Feb.  23  San  Francisco  Weekly 

Feb.  20  Philadelphia  Inquirer 

April  Blue  Book  Magazine 

April  Popular  Magazine 

Feb.  20  St.  Louis  Post-Despatch 

Mar.  13  St.  Louis  Post-Despatch 

Feb.  20  Cincinnati  Enquirer 

Mar.  20  Cincinnati  Enquirer 

Feb.  19  Saturday  Chronicle-Telegraph 

Feb.  20  Pittsburg  Gazette  Times 

Feb.  20  Kansas  City  Star 

Feb.  20  Rocky  Mountain  News 

Mar.  7  Cleveland  Press 

April  Hampton's  Magazine 

Mar.  23  Christian  Herald 


Cost 

No. 

Cost 

of  ad. 

of  subs. 

per  sub. 

$90.00 

57 

$1.60 

90.00 

25 

3.60 

31.50 

24 

1.35 

112.50 

131 

.85 

112.50 

71 

1.38 

52.50 

74 

.74 

20.00 

6 

3.33 

60.00 

29 

2.06 

30.00 

19 

1.63 

40.00 

13 

3.07 

15.00 

20 

.75 

33.75 

29 

1.16 

49.00 

62 

.79 

112.50 

53 

2.12 

30.00 

67 

.45 

42.50 

9 

4.71 

15.00 

2 

7.50 

12.00 

6 

2.00 

25.00 

18 

1.40 

15.00 

23 

.65 

30.00 

21 

1.43 

11.00 

21 

.52 

24.75 

2 

12.37 

24.75 

1 

24.75 

42.00 

39 

1.08 

20.00 

23 

.88 

12.00 

22 

.55 

27.00 

3 

9.00 

10.00 

16 

.62 

22.50 

11 

2.22 

30.00 

72 

.41 

67.50 

9 

7.50 

20.00 

32 

.63 

45.00 

7 

6.42 

20.00 

23 

.90 

25.00 

23 

1.09 

37.50 

16 

2.34 

56.25 

16 

3.51 

20.00 

38 

.52 

45.00 

26 

1.73 

18.00 

24 

.75 

40.50 

8 

5.05 

18.00 

19 

.95 

20.00 

14 

1.43 

10.00 

6 

1.66 

14.00 

16 

.87 

58.44 

42 

1.40 

36.00 

6 

6.00 

84  Analytical  Advertising 

An  analysis  of  these  actual  results  in  securing  magazine 
subscriptions  develops  many  interesting  features.  I  will 
point  out  several  that  are  particularly  illuminating  in 
reference  to  the  cumulative  value  superstition. 

The  average  cost  per  subscriber  from  the  entire  cam- 
paign is  $1.10;  $3,147.94  in  advertising  resulted  in  2855 
subscribers  at  $1.00  each. 

The  average  cost  per  subscriber  from  the  first  insertion 
of  these  advertisements  is  85  cents.  This  includes  a  count 
of  the  publications  used  only  once.  The  total  amount 
spent  in  one  time  insertions  and  in  the  first  insertions  of 
those  used  more  than  once  was  $1,870.19,  which  resulted 
in  2196  subscribers. 

The  average  cost  per  subscriber  an  the  subsequent  in- 
sertions is  $1.91.  "Cumulative  value"  raised  the  cost 
from  85  cents  to  $1.91. 

The  "magic  third"  insertion  was  tried  but  twice.  In 
the  first  case  it  raised  the  average  cost  in  that  medium 
from  35  cents  to  $3.60,  over  ten  times  the  cost.  In  the 
second  case  it  raised  the  average  cost  from  52  cents  to 
$24.75,  an  increase  of  over  47  times.  Old  cumulative 
value  was  evidently  asleep  at  the  switch. 

Twenty-one  insertions  in  magazines  yielded  1400  sub- 
scribers for  $1525.69,  at  an  average  cost  of  $1.08. 

Forty-four  insertions  in  newspapers  at  a  cost  of  $1621.25 
secured  1455  subscribers,  at  an  average  cost  of  $1.11. 

An  increase  in  the  size  of  space  for  second  insertions 
failed  to  develop  even  as  many  subscribers  as  the  first 
insertion  with  smaller  space.  This  is  found  to  be  true  not 
only  relatively,  but  actually,  as  no  second  insertion  of 
even  more  than  twice  the  space  resulted  in  as  many  sub- 
scribers as  the  first  insertion  of  half  the  space. 

This  campaign  is  not  quoted  here  because  it  is  unique, 
for  its  results  will  be  found  to  duplicate  themselves  in 
subsequent  records  quoted.  It  is  shown  here  because  of 
its  pertinent  reflection  of  the  principles  I  wish  to  show,  and 
because  the  results  secured  are  those  of  a  magazine  whose 
presumed  talking  points  for  space  embrace  the  exploita- 
tion of  a  theory  it  finds  impossible  to  sustain  for  itself .|jg| 

The  sellers  of  space  are  being  confronted  with  adver- 
tisers' records  that  are  gradually  reflecting  actual  condi- 


Cumulative  Value  85 

tions.  The  importance  of  complete  scientific  records  is 
being  constantly  recognized  by  the  careful  advertiser. 
The  result  has  been  evidence  susceptible  of  little  or  no 
doubt  relative  to  most  "keyed"  publicity.  There  is  still 
the  great  mass  of  "untraced"  returns  with  most  keyed 
campaigns,  which  present  opportunities  for  the  seller  of 
space  to  keep  the  superstitions  alive.  By  eliminating 
this  feature  of  doubt  any  advertiser  will  be  in  a  position 
to  convince  himself  absolutely  that  there  is  no  such  thing 
as  cumulative  value  as  applied  to  publications.  This  can 
be  done  in  almost  any  advertising  campaign  which  keys 
results.  In  my  own  particular  case  I  have  been  able  to 
reduce  unkeyed  results  to  six-one-hundredths  of  one  per 
cent.  I  will  show  how  this  has  been  done  later.  It  is  on 
account  of  this  approximate  accuracy  of  returns  that  the 
records  I  will  show  leave  no  room  for  conjecture.  The 
chance  for  specious  argument  by  the  seller  of  space  de- 
pends on  the  varying  incompleteness  of  any  advertiser's 
records.  The  more  careless  the  record  keeping  the  greater 
chance  for  the  seller  of  space  to  hoodwink  the  advertiser. 
One  man's  guess  in  such  a  case  is  about  as  good  as 
anothers.  There  is  no  excuse  for  guessing  about  results 
you  can  prove. 

One  set  of  records  that  will  be  shown  in  their  entirety 
will  indicate  the  result  to  the  advertiser  of  incomplete 
record  keeping.  It  will  show  that  whereas  only  about  2% 
of  inquiries  were  received  unkeyed,  over  15%  of  cash  was 
not  credited  to  keys.  This  discrepancy  of  about  13%  rep- 
resented money  sent  by  inquirers  who  had  keyed  their 
initial  inquiries,  but  whose  keyed  cards  could  not  be  found 
when  the  money  arrived.  This  was  due  to  a  burdensome 
system  of  record  keeping,  as  well  as  a  costly  and  inaccurate 
one.  This  15%  represented  almost  $20,000  in  cash.  Such 
a  sum  blinded  the  advertiser  to  the  real  meaning  of  his 
keyed  returns,  and  I  am  convinced  cost  him  not  less  than 
$30,000  in  profits  he  might  have  had. 

Such  gaps  in  accurate  record  keeping  make  it  easy  for 
the  seller  of  space  to  pull  the  wool  over  the  eyes  of  the 
advertiser.  It  is  the  remaining  ragged  edge  being  des- 
perately clung  to  by  the  seller  of  space  in  attempting  to 
keep  the  superstition  alive  with  the  keyed  advertiser.    As 


86  Analytical  Advertising 

more  advertisers  put  in  dependable  record  systems  the 
less  chance  for  the  publisher  to  perpetuate  the  old 
superstition.  He  has  therefore  taken  another  very  clever 
stand.  He  is  now  beginning  to  admit  what  he  is  forced  to 
concede.    His  admission  is  something  as  follows : 

"Keyed  advertising  is  'mail  order'  copy.  It  is  entirely 
different  than  any  other  kind  of  advertising.  The  laws 
and  rules  that  govern  its  profitable  use  do  not  apply  to 
any  other  kind  of  advertising.  You  have  no  right  to  as- 
sume that  the  mental  laws  governing  sales  through  keyed 
advertisements  are  laws  of  general  applicability.  If  our 
publications  do  not  present  cumulative  value  for  mail 
order  copy  it  is  because  the  latter  is  an  abominable  freak. 
If  your  records  force  an  admission  from  us  that  keyed 
copy  does  not  show  cumulative  value  we  will  of  course 
admit  it.  But  look  at  the  general  publicity  copy.  It  secures 
cumulative  value  from  us.  It  is  not  keyed  and  nothing  can 
be  traced  to  it.  We  defy  you  to  prove  anything  is  true  about 
it  except  what  we  tell  you  is  true.  You  will  never  be  able  to 
prove  us  wrong  about  general  publicity,  as  the  chance  for 
proving  it  rests  with  God  alone.'' 

In  analyzing  the  possible  grounds  for  any  faith  in  cumu- 
lative value  we  must  therefore  consider  this  clever  stand 
of  the  publication  selling  pages  of  space  on  the  strength 
of  it.  Before  doing  so  it  is  not  sufficient  for  me  to  simply 
state  that  there  is  no  cumulative  value  in  my  own  case.  I 
must  prove  it  in  order  to  warrant  any  faith  greater  than 
that  I  deplore  as  the  prevailing  superstition  relative  to  the 
other  side  of  the  case. 

In  a  later  chapter  I  will  show  actual  records  proving  the 
claims  made  above.  Some  of  them  will  have  a  direct 
bearing  on  what  is  supposed  to  happen  in  general  publi- 
city appeals.  We  will  try  to  understand  the  latter  to 
the  limit  of  the  evidence  and  the  apparent  facts. 


Advertising  Record  Keeping 

The  greatest  number  of  records,  in  any  one  business, 
to  be  shown  in  this  book  are  those  of  The  American 
Collection  Service.  It  is  therefore  pertinent  and  desirable 
that  I  explain  in  some  detail  just  what  The  American  Col- 
lection Service  is.  An  understanding  of  the  proposition 
itself  will  make  the  records  of  its  growth  more  clear. 

The  American  Collection  Service  is  a  correspondence 
school.  It  teaches  the  collection  business,  exclusively  by 
mail.  In  x\ugust,  1907,  I  inserted  a  classified  advertise- 
ment in  System  magazine  offering  to  teach  the  collection 
business  to  any  one  who  desired  to  learn  it.  The  adver- 
tisement was  inserted  simply  as  an  experiment,  as  I  had 
made  up  my  mind  to  enter  the  advertising  field.  My 
knowledge  of  the  collection  business  was  the  only  thing  I 
could  think  of  that  I  could  possibly  sell.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  selling  a  list  of  Justices  of  the  Peace,  I  had  never 
been  engaged  in  selling  anything.  This  "list"  was  a  book 
entitled  "Merchants'  Preferred  Justices  List,"  which  I 
tried,  unsuccessfully,  to  sell  through  salesmen  and  after- 
wards "broke  even"  on  by  selling  through  the  "direct 
advertising"  plan  through  letters  to  credit  men. 

At  the  time  my  first  advertisement  was  published  in 
System  I  had  no  idea  what  interest  it  might  arouse,  or 
what  I  should  do  if  any  interest  was  manifested.  I  simply 
wrote  the  advertisement,  sent  it  to  System,  and  waited. 
As  soon  as  the  August  issue  was  out  I  began  to  secure  in- 
quiries, and  soon  learned  that  I  was  securing  them  in  un- 
heard of  numbers.  I  had  prepared  nothing  to  sell,  had 
no  follow-up  letters  written  and  no  advertising  literature 
of  any  kind  to  mail.  I  immediately  draughted  a  synopsis 
of  what  a  course  on  the  collection  business  should  com- 
prise, and  ordered  modest  literature  to  be  printed.  Pend- 
ing its  delivery  I  composed  a  first  letter  and  sent  postal 
cards  to  all  inquiries  that  I  was  swamped  with  requests 
for  particulars,  but  would  send  full  information  "as  soon 
as  our  force  caught  up  with  the  rush."  My  first  letter  with 
synopsis  of  the  course  went  out  with  very  modest  circular 
matter  about  the  fifteenth  of  August,  and  the  advertise- 


88  Analytical  Advertising 

ment  continued  in  the  September  issue  of  System.  On 
September  5th  I  received  the  first  enrolment  for  the 
course.  I  then  started  to  write  the  course,  and  delivered 
it  one  lesson  at  a  time  as  I  finished  writing  each.  It  was 
the  hardest  job  I  ever  undertook  in  my  life.  During 
September  I  enrolled  two  more  students,  both  long  before 
I  had  completed  the  lessons.  The  first  man  who  enrolled 
established  a  collection  business  that  has  grown  and  flour- 
ished ever  since.  It  is  still  conducted  in  Oklahoma  City  by 
an  associate  of  the  original  student,  and  has  been  contin- 
uously operated  with  increasing  success  from  the  first  day. 

Nearly  all  who  take  The  American  Collection  Service 
course  join  the  movement  with  the  object  of  starting  a 
collection  business  and  of  becoming  a  Co-operative  Bureau 
member,  v  This  Co-operative  Bureau  is  composed  of  all 
members  who  comply  with  the  necessary  requirements 
and  become  representatives  of  the  Bureau.  A  list  of  these 
representatives  is  printed  every  month  in  Business  Service 
magazine.  Over  this  list  an  almost  unbelievable  volume 
of  collection  business  passes  every  month.  Any  man  who 
takes  the  course  may  use  the  list,  and  if  he  uses  it  he  is  en- 
titled to  a  degree  of  service  on  collections  it  is  impossible 
to  obtain  through  any  other  channel.  A  large  number  of 
business  men  have  taken  the  course,  and  they  also  use  the 
list  in  sending  their  collections  throughout  the  country. 

The  School  has  really  become  a  movement,  and  has  been 
successful  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  The  course  is  being 
constantly  improved,  and  with  each  improvement  is  usu- 
ally increased  in  price.  Four  increases  have  been  made, 
the  price  having  gone  from  $25.00  cash  for  full  member- 
ship to  $40.00  and  from  $30  in  installments  to  $50. 

During  the  entire  existence  of  The  American  Collection 
Service  I  have  experienced  an  absence  from  complaints 
that  rarely  obtains  in  any  business  conducted  by  corre- 
spondence. The  course  is  sold  subject  to  absolutely  no 
return,  and  no  satisfaction  is  "guaranteed."  Nevertheless 
every  one  who  buys  it  appears  to  be  more  than  satisfied 
with  it.  I  have  never  had  anything  but  the  most  unim- 
portant complaints,  usually  due  to  misdelivery  by  the  ex- 
press companies,  failure  to  receive  Business  Service  maga- 
zine, or  similar  minor  errors.    At  one  time  I  accepted  pay- 


Advertising  Record  Keeping  89 

merits  as  small  as  $5.00,  and  have  had  complaints  from 
several  of  such  installment  payers,  possibly  six  in  four 
years.  I  always  returned  their  money  at  once  without 
argument.  These  men  usually  "kicked"  because  I  would 
not  send  them  the  entire  course  on  payment  of  $5.00. 
These  complaints  have  been  entirely  eliminated,  as  we 
now  accept  $15.00  as  the  smallest  initial  payment.  I  have 
never  had  even  a  suspicion  of  "trouble"  over  a  complaint. 
This  condition  is  explained  by  two  facts.  In  the  first  place 
I  always  manage  to  give  every  student  a  little  more  than 
he  has  contracted  for.  In  the  second  place  he  hears  from 
me  every  month,  no  matter  how  long  ago  he  enrolled.  He 
knows  I  am  interested  in  him  and  his  success,  and  he 
knows  why.  Through  his  success  other  students  are  se- 
cured. Each  and  every  member  is  interested  in  more 
members  and  good  members,  for  every  new  member 
means  another  prospective  client,  through  the  business 
he  may  send  over  the  directory  list.  Our  follow-up  ma- 
terial contains  hundreds  of  letters  with  pictures  of  success- 
ful students'  offices,  all  due  to  our  training.  Any  interested 
inquirer  will  receive  an  answer  from  any  of  them,  and  a 
copy  of  that  letter  is  almost  invariably  sent  to  me  the  day 
it  is  written.  This  spirit  of  co-operation  could  not  obtain 
in  an  ordinary  correspondence  school,  but  the  psychologi- 
cal principles  behind  the  kind  of  treatment  every  student 
or  inquirer  receives  is  the  item  of  interest  for  the  adver- 
tiser.    It  is  costly,  but  it  pays. 

In  developing  The  American  Collection  Service  I  was 
handicapped  with  very  few  theories  of  selling,  by  mail  or 
otherwise.  I  had  never  sold  anything.  My  business  had 
never  been  selling,  and  I  admitted  an  ignorance  of  it.  I 
therefore  set  out  to  learn  how  to  sell,  with  the  distinct  pur- 
pose of  reducing  my  results  to  principles.  To  do  this  I 
determined  to  be  bound  by  what  accurate  records  would 
prove,  and  take  no  one's  word  for  anything  that  could  be 
proved.  It  was  largely  from  the  records  of  The  American 
Collection  Service  that  I  deduced  the  principles  on  which 
all  advertising  done  by  me  is  based,  as  I  have  found  the 
principles  are  largely  as  adaptable  to  one  business  as 
another,  although  matters  of  detail  will  vary  in  every 
advertised  business. 


90  Analytical  Advertising 

That  the  records  to  follow  may  be  made  as  intelligible 
as  possible  a  short  outline  of  the  system  employed  will  be 
given. 

The  system  of  advertising  record  keeping  now  in  use  is 
a  refinement  of  the  collection  record  system  employed  by 
me  in  the  collection  business  for  some  ten  years,  which 
was  originally  based  on  the  alphabetical  system  of  the 
Bradstreet  Co.,  and  the  R.  G.  Dun  &  Co.  systems,  both 
of  which  were  familiar  to  me  through  a  mercantile  agency 
experience  secured  while  in  the  employ  of  each. 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  outline  the  detailed  workings  of 
the  present  system  of  record  keeping  employed.  Should 
the  exposition  of  its  results  here  given  appeal  to  any 
advertiser  needing  a  scientific  record  system  I  will  be 
glad  to  communicate  every  detail  of  its  installation, 
which  will  be  found  applicable  to  any  "keyed"  advertis- 
ing campaign.  A  detailed  outline  of  it  would  consume 
unnecessary  time  and  space,  that  were  better  devoted 
to  showing  its  efficiency  and  economy. 

The  system  consists  in  a  card  index  that  gives  the 
name  and  address  of  the  inquirer,  as  well  as  the  key  of 
the  advertisement  which  prompted  his  inquiry,  and  a 
working  wrapper  that  contains  a  perfect  record  of  all 
material  sent  him,  which  includes  copies  of  all  special 
letters  as  well  as  all  original  letters  from  him.  This  sys- 
tem entirely  does  away  with  letter  filing. 

Every  inquiry  received  is  recorded  and  the  first  letter 
sent  the  day  inquiry  is  received.  Every  new  inquirer 
receives  a  regular  series  of  follow-up  letters.  The  num- 
ber of  regular  letters  in  this  series  varies  from  four  to  six. 
After  the  regular  series  of  follow-up  letters  is  sent  the 
working  wrapper  goes  in  a  special  file.  Tests  are  made 
constantly  on  these  files.  A  letter  is  tried  almost  every 
month  on  three  thousand.  If  the  returns  are  profitable 
on  three  thousand  the  same  letter  is  sent  to  the  entire 
list,  which  numbers  about  50,000.  A  complete  record  of 
the  number  of  letters  sent  out  on  the  regular  follow-up 
will  appear  later.  The  same  record  will  also  show  the 
number  of  special  "letters"  sent  out.  The  latter  will 
show  how  many  have  been  tried,  and  how  many  have 
been   successful.      An  inquiry  once  received   is  sent   the 


Advertising  Record  Keeping  91 

regular  follow-up  and  in  addition  receives  about  three 
special  letters  a  year.  The  inquiries  received  from  our 
first  advertisement  are  receiving  letters  today.  Good  in- 
quiries keep  yielding  returns  every  few  months,  no  mat- 
ter how  old  the  original  inquiries.  This  serves  to  give 
the  highest  credit  possible  to  every  advertisement.  I 
know  of  no  business  besides  The  American  Collection 
Service  that  never  ceases  writing  inquirers  and  who 
gives  credit  to  the  advertisement  that  secured  them, 
indefinitely. 

Every  advertisement  of  a  certain  size  is  given  a  certain 
key  for  each  publication.  Our  second  advertisement  in 
System  magazine  was  a  classified  advertisement  keyed 
16  State  St.  Every  subsequent  insertion  of  the  same 
advertisement  in  System,  and  even  those  with  a  slight 
change  in  wording,  have  been  keyed  16  State  Street  ever 
since.  Our  first  quarter  page  advertisement  in  System 
was  keyed  15  State  St.  Unless  some  subsequent  quarter 
page  advertisement  in  System  was  of  a  distinct  character 
deserving  an  especial  key,  all  quarter  page  copy  in  Sys- 
tem was  keyed  15  State  St.  Our  original  half  page  copy 
in  System  was  keyed  39  State  St.  and  has  been  run  under 
the  same  key  repeatedly  since,  the  latest  being  in  1911. 
The  same  system  of  keying  is  followed  in  every  publi- 
cation used.  It  is  clear  that  were  there  such  a  thing  as 
cumulative  value  in  any  publication  nothing  would  show 
it  quicker  than  a  system  that  gives  to  a  piece  of  copy 
run  in  September,  1911,  credit  for  all  inquiries  received 
that  month  and  thereafter,  as  well  as  every  inquiry  that 
might  come  in  from  the  same  piece  of  copy  that  had  run 
possibly  48  times  before  under  the  same  key.  Every  dol- 
lar received  in  September,  1911,  from  that  key,  would 
also  reflect  the  same  condition.  This  system  gives  the 
publication  the  benefit  of  every  doubt,  and  follows  up 
for  it  every  inquiry  as  long  as  the  address  is  correct. 
In  spite  of  these  conditions  favorable  to  the  magazines 
the  results  will  show  what  little  basis  there  is  for  con- 
sidering any  publication  possessed  of  an  ability  to  deliver 
cumulative  results. 

Some  inquiries  will  always  come  to  an  advertiser  bear- 
ing no  key.     It  is  usually  this  class  of  inquiries  that  gives 


92  Analytical  Advertising 

the  seller  of  space  an  advantage  over  the  advertiser,  as 
one  guess  about  them  is  as  good  as  another.  (You  can 
gamble  on  what  the  seller's  guess  will  be.)  It  is  impos- 
sible and  impractical  to  attempt  learning  keys  for  such 
inquiries  as  long  as  they  fail  to  produce  returns.  We 
have  devised  a  system  of  learning  the  keys  on  such  of 
these  that  buy,  however.  For  four  years  we  have  suc- 
ceeded in  crediting  the  proper  publications  with  every 
dollar  received  except  in  the  proportions  below: 

1907 None 

1908.... 006% 

1909 0094% 

1910 0091% 

1911 0125% 

The  small  amounts  thus  remaining  uncredited  repre- 
sent such  an  inconsiderable  total  as  to  be  negligible.  Of 
all  the  enrolments  secured  I  do  not  think  more  than 
three  were  from  men  of  whom  we  had  no  previous  record. 
No  money  can  be  entered  on  our  records  until  the  proper 
clerk  finds  the  card  and  wrapper.  About  once  a  month 
some  enrolment  is  received  for  which  the  records  cannot 
be  found  immediately.  These  exceptional  cases  are  usually 
connected  with  their  proper  records  in  about  two  hours, 
although  about  five  in  four  years  have  taken  about  forty- 
eight  hours  to  turn  up.  The  task  of  making  it  easy  to 
connect  every  enrolment  with  the  proper  records  is  the 
one  rule  no  employee  dares  to  violate.  We  therefore  have 
no  trouble  over  them. 

One  interesting  case  is  worthy  of  recording.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1909,  we  received  an  enrolment  from  Delhi,  India. 
The  money  order  was  pinned  to  a  reprint  of  a  three-page 
advertisement  from  System,  which  we  had  used  several 
months  previously  in  our  regular  follow-up.  We  knew 
some  publication  was  responsible  for  the  enrolment,  and 
we  had  no  previous  record  of  the  remitter  of  the  order. 
We  wrote  for  information  relative  to  the  magazine  in 
which  our  advertisement  had  been  seen,  and  secured  an 
answer  that  no  magazine  at  all  had  been  seen  containing 
the  advertisement.  Information  was  given  to  the  effect 
that  remitter  had  happened  to  inspect  a  house  just  vacated 


Advertising  Record  Keeping  93 

and  that  therein  he  had  found  our  reprint  of  the  three  page 
reader,  which  included  the  terms  of  our  course.  Thinking 
this  information  was  all  we  desired  to  know,  nothing 
further  was  furnished,  until  we  wrote  a  second  time  and 
requested  the  name  of  the  man  who  had  occupied  the 
house.  This  our  student  sent,  and  the  name  of  that  man 
was  on  our  records  as  having  answered  an  advertisement 
from  key  Q5  State  St.,  which  was  Harper's  Weekly.  We 
then  gave  credit  to  the  publication  about  five  months 
after  the  money  had  been  secured,  and  reduced  the 
record  of  our  unkeyed  cash  $25.00. 

I  quote  this  case,  as  it  is  more  or  less  interesting  in  itself 
and  also  for  the  purpose  of  demonstrating  to  what  lengths 
we  go  to  secure  the  proper  information,  that  every  publi- 
cation may  be  credited  with  every  dollar  it  could  possibly 
have  been  the  means  of  securing  for  us,  either  directly  or 
indirectly. 

Our  advertising  record  consists  of  a  book  with  sufficient 
pages  to  afford  a  double  page  for  every  key  ever  used  and 
runs  from  3  State  Street  to  the  highest  number  on  State 
Street  used  by  us.  The  record  for  1911  at  this  writing 
shows  a  total  number  of  keys  of  487.  Many  of  the  keys 
used  represent  advertisements  run  in  1907  and  1908,  which 
were  never  repeated,  but  to  which  are  credited  every  dollar 
resulting  from  them  day  to  day.  As  a  general  follow-up 
goes  to  every  inquiry  at  least  three  times  a  year,  money  is 
constantly  secured  from  the  oldest  inquirers,  and  proper 
credit  given. 

Our  record  of  each  publication  shows  the  entry  of  every 
inquiry  received  every  day,  every  dollar  secured  each  day, 
also  the  date  and  amount  paid  for  the  advertisement.  The 
advertisement  itself  is  pasted  on  the  proper  page  and  the 
totals  of  previous  years  shown  in  the  margin.  A  cost  sys- 
tem has  been  devised  that  determines  at  the  end  of  each 
year  just  how  much  it  has  cost  to  follow  up  every  inquiry 
of  that  year.  This  cost  is  our  entire  cost  of  business  for 
that  year,  and  represents  the  difference  in  total  receipts 
less  cash  profits  and  inventory.  This  net  sum  is  divided 
by  the  actual  number  of  inquiries  received  during  the 
year  which  gives  the  average  cost  of  following  every  inquiry. 
Advertising,  being  charged  directly  to  each  medium,  is  of 


94  Analytical  Advertising 

course  deducted.  This  inquiry  cost  is  used  as  the  basis 
for  the  ensuing  year,  at  the  end  of  which  the  entire  record 
is  corrected  by  the  actual  cost.  The  difference  in  actual 
cost  and  estimated  cost  rarely  varies  to  any  great  extent. 
It  has  appeared  both  safe  and  liberal  to  use  the  cost  of  an 
ended  year  as  the  basis  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Our  advertising  record  shows  at  the  end  of  each  month, 
for  each  key,  the  following  information:  Number  of  in- 
quiries received.  Amount  of  money  secured.  Amount 
spent  in  advertising  that  month  on  each  key.  To  the 
amount  of  advertising  is  added  the  cost  to  follow-up  each 
inquiry  and  this  sum  represents  the  total  cost  for  the 
month.  This  sum  subtracted  from  the  total  cash  secured 
each  month  gives  the  net  profit  for  that  month  on  that 
key.  If  the  sum  taken  in  shows  a  less  amount  than  the 
total  cost  the  result  shows  the  net  loss  for  the  month.  The 
totals  for  each  month  are  carried  forward  and  the  total 
loss  or  total  profit  show  for  the  entire  period  at  the  end  of 
each  month. 

To  make  it  easy  to  see  just  what  any  publication  has 
done  we  transfer  the  totals  every  month  to  cards  alpha- 
betically arranged  as  to  publications,  one  card  for  each 
publication.  These  cards  show  a  record  of  results  for 
every  key  used  in  any  publication.  All  ordering  is  done 
from  the  cards. 

The  system  of  charging  each  inquiry  with  a  certain 
amount  is  a  system  overlooked  by  all  but  a  very  few  adver- 
tisers. A  cost  system  is  operated  by  practically  every  ad- 
vertiser with  the  slightest  business  training,  but  the  opera- 
tion of  these  various  systems,  for  the  most  part,  is  confined 
to  actual  sales.  It  is  evident  to  an;^  one  that  every  inquiry 
received  costs  something  to  answer.  The  cost  system 
above  outlined  charges  every  inquiry  received  with  the 
average  sum  of  doing  business,  which  is  the  only  fair  basis 
for  a  business  dependent  entirely  on  the  follow-up  of  in- 
quiries. So  few  realize  that  inquiries  are  a  liability  that 
charging  a  publication  with  them  rarely  occurs  to  the 
advertiser,  yet  a  definite,  exact  provision  must  be  made 
for  this  expense,  if  dependable  records  are  to  be  relied  on 
for  the  success  of  an  advertising  campaign.  One  adver- 
tiser, whose  complete  records  will  be  shown,  made  the 


Advertising  Record  Keeping  95 

great  mistake  of  simply  subtracting  from  the  cash  returns 
of  any  advertisement  the  amount  spent  for  the  advertise- 
ment itself.  As  a  result  he  continued  to  run  advertise- 
ments in  a  large  number  of  publications  because  he  saw 
from  his  records  that  he  was  continually  taking  in  a  little 
more  money  than  the  advertisements  cost  him,  and  he 
thus  "guessed"  they  were  yielding  a  profit.  As  he  had 
failed  to  charge  anything  against  every  inquiry  secured 
he  had  been  running  a  large  number  of  showings  that 
proved  to  be  almost  dead  losses  to  him  from  one  year's 
end  to  the  other.  Any  advertiser  who  fails  to  run  a  cost 
system  against  his  inquiries  is  likely  to  waste  a  great  deal 
of  money,  as  some  publications  will  pull  inquiries  to  a 
remarkai3le  degree,  and  even  return  more  money  than  the 
advertisements  themselves  cost,  and  still  lose  a  great  deal 
for  the  advertiser,  in  following  up  a  large  number  of  un- 
productive material  constantly. 

In  the  records  to  be  shown  of  American  Collection  Serv- 
ice returns  the  costs  charged  against  inquiries  vary.  This 
is  especially  true  from  year  to  year.  The  costs  of  showings 
in  publications  will  also  vary  somewhat.  In  some  cases 
costs  have  been  computed  at  "card  rates,"  gross.  Some 
at  card  rates  net.  Some  at  10%  above  net  cost,  etc.  Hav- 
ing placed  our  advertising  with  four  different  agencies  the 
method  of  billing  varied.  In  transferring  to  our  adver- 
tising record  the  usual  method  has  been  to  copy  the 
amount  as  charged  by  the  agency.  Some  would  charge 
the  gross  rate  on  a  number  of  showings  on  one  bill,  and 
although  I  have  never  missed  a  cash  discount  for  adver- 
tising, these  discounts  were  rarely  extended  for  each  in- 
sertion, but  rather  on  the  sum  total.  In  transferring,  the 
gross  amounts  would  thus  vary.  If  a  single  bill  called  for 
payment  of  a  single  showing  the  cash  discount  would  ap- 
pear on  the  bill,  and  be  thus  transferred.  The  differences 
of  contract  rate  from  10%  above  net  cost,  up,  also  will 
occasion  some  differences,  and  these  I  have  made  no  at- 
tempt to  equalize  in  the  records  to  be  shown.  These  dif- 
ferences will  be  noticeable  throughout  the  records,  and  I 
mention  the  explanation  here  that  no  discredit  may  be 
attached  to  the  records,  that  otherwise  might  arise  from 
a  close  comparison  of  various  charges  of  this  nature. 


96  Analytical  Advertising 

The  records  to  be  shown  of  results  from  American  Col- 
lection Service  advertising  will  be  incomplete  in  one  re- 
gard. They  will  show  returns  on  all  advertising  done, 
with  the  exception  of  "trade  advertising."  Since  Business 
Service  magazine  was  started  we  have  traded  space  with 
a  very  large  number  of  publications.  A  very  large  number 
of  inquiries  resulted  from  these  trades  and  also  a  large 
volume  of  money.  No  record  of  these  returns  are  given 
for  several  reasons.  In  the  first  place  space  has  been 
traded  with  a  large  number  of  high-grade  publications 
who  would  not  care  to  have  it  generally  known  that  trade 
advertising  is  indulged  in  by  them.  In  the  second  place 
the  basis  of  exchange  payment  has  been  of  such  an  elastic 
nature  as  to  preclude  any  scientific  basis  as  to  the  exact 
cost  of  the  space  in  cash.  Any  record  of  such  showings 
would  confuse  the  general  result.  By  omitting  this  large 
volume  of  returns  it  will  also  be  impossible  for  the  curious 
to  other  than  guess  at  the  actual  volume  of  business  done 
by  The  American  Collection  Service,  an  exact  idea  of 
which  could  benefit  nobody. 

In  the  next  chapter  a  number  of  records  will  be  given 
that  disclose  interesting  data  relative  to  the  fallacy  of  the 
cumulative  value  theory.  A  number  of  businesses  other 
than  The  American  Collection  Service  will  be  quoted.  In 
any  such  cases  an  explanation  of  the  business  itself  will 
be  given  later  when  the  complete  records  of  such  business 
are  tabulated. 


Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising 

In  this  chapter  will  be  shown  several  sets  of  records. 
The  first  set  shows  the  results  of  every  consecutive  series 
of  showings  made  by  The  American  Collection  Service 
since  its  inception.  I  have  chosen  for  this  exhibit  every 
showing  that  ran  more  than  twice  consecutively  in  the 
same  medium,  under  the  same  key.  These  results  are  not 
chosen  with  any  idea  of  substantiating  my  theory  that 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  cumulative  value  in  magazines. 
Every  consecutive  showing  is  exhibited  without  regard  to 
the  deductions  that  may  obtain.  That  they  prove  un- 
erringly that  no  cumulative  value  has  attached  to  their 
repeated  showings  is  a  result  these  records  prove  for  them- 
selves. And  they  do  prove  it,  as  I  am  convinced  any  other 
well  kept  records  will. 

Were  there  any  such  thing  as  cumulative  value,  the  re- 
sults in  actual  inquiries  from  repeated  insertions  of  any 
copy  in  the  same  mediums  would  constantly  increase  in 
number  from  month  to  month.  The  number  of  inquiries 
from  any  advertisement  run  for  more  than  two  times 
would  thus  have  to  hold  even,  at  least.  It  will  be  discov- 
ered from  these  records  that  only  in  very  exceptional 
cases  do  any  showings  hold  even.  The  longer  any  show- 
ing is  run  the  less  the  number  of  inquiries  every  consecutive 
insertion. 

The  proof  of  cumulative  value,  if  there  were  such  a 
thing,  would  be  in  the  increasing  number  of  inquiries,  and 
in  nothing  else.  With  these  records,  however,  I  have 
shown  the  actual  cash  returns  from  month  to  month.  It 
will  be  noted  that  even  the  cash  returns  do  not  exhibit 
any  real  cumulative  results.  Even  if  they  did,  it  would  be 
no  proof  one  way  or  the  other,  as  such  a  piling  up  of  cash 
returns  would  be  entirely  due  to  the  follow-up  letters,  and 
not  to  the  repeated  showings  of  the  advertisements.  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that  about  all  the  cash  returns  can 
show  is  a  tendency  to  almost  hold  even.  A  full  record  of 
the  follow-up  returns  will  be  shown  later,  when  it  will  be 
seen  that  there  is  no  cumulative  value  to  be  expected  in 
that  direction  either. 

7  97 


98 


Analytical  Advertising 


It  is  particularly  desirable  that  a  comparison  of  the 
first  returns  in  inquiries  be  made  with  the  last.  It  will  be 
seen  that  the  largest  number  of  inquiries  are  almost  always 
secured  in  the  first  and  second  insertions.  The  second 
month  is  usually  the  largest.  This  larger  return  the  second 
month  is  slightly  deceptive,  as  in  reality  the  large  number 
is  almost  always  due  to  the  very  first  insertion.  An  adver- 
tisement run  in  the  January  issue  of  most  publications  is 
paid  for  on  the  25th  of  January,  and  usually  appears  about 
the  20th.  In  spite  of  the  few  days  given  it  to  pull  in  Janu- 
ary it  is  significant  to  note  that  a  large  number  of  showings 
pull  more  inquiries  in  the  few  days  credited  to  the  first 
appearance  in  January,  than  those  that  are  credited  in 
the  next  month,  February,  for  instance.  Of  all  the  records 
here  given  hardly  an  exception  will  be  found  to  the  rule 
that  the  very  first  insertion,  added  to  the  second  (an  in- 
tegral part  of  it)  will  show  more  inquiries  than  the  last  two 
insertions  under  the  same  key,  no  matter  how  many  show- 
ings appeared  between  them.  The  last  insertions  are 
credited  by  our  system  with  every  inquiry  that  comes  in 
during  that  month,  a  certain  portion  of  which  always 
comes  from  the  previous  insertions.  In  spite  of  all  these 
factors  in  favor  of  proof  for  cumulative  value  they  prove 
the  contrary,  absolutely. 

The  records  first  shown  are  those  of  consecutive  show- 
ings of  American  Collection  Service  advertising.  The  rec- 
ord of  the  very  first  showing  under  each  key  is  quoted,  for 
the  sake  of  comparison.  These  records  are  arranged  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  times  each  has  shown  consecu- 
tively during  four  years. 


Key    ^",¥^^^- 
^         tion 

Mo. 

Year 

Inq. 

Cost 

Returns 

16    System 

Aug. 

1907 

67 

$4.75  (linch) 

First  Ins, 

Classified 

Sept. 

1907 

83 

9.50  (1  inch) 

$45 . 00 

Oct. 

1907 

13 

No  Insertion 

80.00 

Nov. 

8 

No  Insertion 

5.00 

Dec. 

45 

9.50  (1  inch) 

10.00 

Jan. 

1908 

53 

9.50  (1  inch) 

50.00 

Feb. 

1908 

36 

9 .  50  (1  inch) 

99.00 

Mch. 

1908 

49 

4.75  Q  inch) 

145.00 

Apr. 

1908 

37 

4 .  75  (^  inch) 

60.00 

May 

1908 

22 

4 .  75  (i  inch) 

55.00 

Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising        99 


Key 


Publica- 
tion. 


Month 
June 


16    System 

Classified  July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 


Year  Inq. 

1908  27 
1908  20 
1908  18 
1908  11 
1908  27 
1908  25 

1908  23 

1909  19 
25 
37 
29 
29 
19 
15 
13 
19 
21 
16 
25 

1910  19 
17 
11 
10 
26 
22 
25 
17 
19 
16 
30 
26 

1911  26 
31 
31 
17 
14 
16 
16 
23 


Cost 

$4.75  Qinch) 
4.75  (^inch) 
4.75  (^inch) 
No  Insertion 
4.75  (iinch) 
4.75  (iinch) 
4.75  (I  inch) 
4 .  75  (^  inch) 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

$5 .  75  (I  inch) 

4.95  (I  inch) 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 
$4.95  (Hnch) 
4.95  (^inch) 
7.17  Same 
7.17  Same 
7.17  Same 

7.05  Same 

7.06  Same 
7.06  Same 


Returns 
$20.00 

36.00 
76.00 
5.00 
65.00 
78.00 


53. 
91. 
91. 
75. 
15. 
15. 
95. 
79. 


14.40 
2.72 
42.72 
19.10 
67.62 
14.00 
30.00 
80.55 
38.10 
51.06 
24.00 
79.50 
32.50 
9.00 
53.75 

50.00 
61.25 
57.50 
78.43 
29.75 
20.00 
25.00 
52.50 


Key 
51 


Publication 

Collier's     2  times 
Classified  1  time 

1  time 

2  times 
2  times 
2  times 
2  times 


Month  Year  Inq.     Cost   Returns 

Sept.  1907     94  $25.00  $20.00  1st.  ins. 

Oct.  119 

Nov.  116 

Dec.  138 

Jan.  1908  202 

Feb.  126 

Mar,  96 


12.50 
12.50 
25.00 


27.00 
40.00 
30.00 


25.00  156.00 
25.00  140.00 
24.75  42.00 


100 


Analytical  Advertising 


Key     Publication 


51 


Collier's 
Classified 


2  times 

3  times 
3  times 
3  times 
3  times 

1  time 

2  times 
2  times 
2  times 
2  times 
Same 


2  times 

1  time 

2  times 
2  times 
1  time 

1  time 
Same 


Month  Year  Inq.    Cost  Returns 

Apr.  50  $24.75  $77.50 

May  73  37.13  25.00 

June  81  37.13  142.00 

July  96  37.13  75.00 

Aug.  91  37.13  95.00 

Sept.  53  12.37  70.00 

Oct.  46  24.74  45.00 

Nov.  48  24.74  28.00 

Dec.  61  24.74  35.00 

Jan.      1909     53  23.50  133.17 

Feb.  67  23.50  98.00 

Mar.  48  23.50  71.00 

Apr.  27  23.50  106.75 

May  29  23.50  80.00 

June  43  23.50  124.75 

July  30  23.50  35.00 

Aug.  33  23.50  18.00 

Sept.  31  23.50  85.75 

Oct.  33  23.50  179.00 

Nov.  39  23.50  69.60 

Dec.  32  23.50  74.75 

Jan.      1910     55  23.51  44.10 

Feb.  49  11.76  109.34 

Mar.  27  23.51  7.63 

Apr.  23  23.63  45.00 

May  20  11.82  83.00 

June  6  No  ins.  62.00 

July  9  11.76 

Aug.  2  11.76  27.50 

Sept.  17  11.61  26.00 

Oct.  22  11.61  72.00 

Nov.  30     11.61  5.00 

Dec.  25  11.61  26.00 


No  insertions  until  March 


1  time 
1  time 

1  time 
1  time 
1  time 


Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 


1911 


38  11.61 
20  11.61 
2  No  ins. 
12  11.60 
14  11.60 
24     11.60 


42.50 

20.00 

87.50 

5.00 


18    Everybody's 

5  lines  classified 


Nov.     1907     95  $12.50  $10.00  1st  ins. 


Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May 


1908 


116 
152 
88 
89 
47 
36 


12.50 
12.50 
12.50 


20.00 
35.00 
91.00 


12.50  120.00 
12.50  87.25 
12.50     43.00 


Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising      loi 


Key 

Publication 

Month 

Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost 

Return 

18    Everybody's 

June 

58  $12.50  $55.00 

5  lines  classified 

July 

56 

12.50 

47.00 

Aug. 

38 

12.50 

90.00 

Sept. 

42 

12.50 

78.93 

Oct. 

40 

12.50 

37.50 

Nov. 

35 

12.50 

47.50 

Dec. 

46 

12.50 

25.00 

Jan. 

1909 

90 

12.50 

72.40 

Feb. 

48 

12.50 

115.55 

Mar. 

35 

12.50 

85.25 

Apr. 

12 

12.50 

150.00 

May 

14 

12.50 

49.60 

June 

21 

12.50 

36.25 

July 

16 

12.50 

60.00 

Aug. 

18 

12.50 

56.00 

Sept. 

22 

12.50 

28.61 

' 

Oct. 

18 

12.50 

41.00 

Nov. 

14 

12.50 

10.00 

Dec. 

12 

12.50 

29.00 

Jan. 

1910 

30 

12.50 

80.50 

Feb. 

18 

12.50 

2.00 

Mar. 

7 

12.50 

Apr. 

12 

12.50 

28.00 

May 

16 

12.50 

16.00 

June 

16 

12.50 

52.00 

July 

11 

12.50 

4  lines  classified 

Aug. 

31 

10.00 

71.00 

Same 

Sept. 

11 

10.00 

13.50 

Oct. 

20 

10.00 

57.00 

Nov. 

27 

10.00 

40,00 

Dec. 

29 

10.00 

85.00 

Jan. 

1911 

41 

10.00 

112.50 

Feb. 

16 

10.00 

148.65 

Mar. 

28 

10.00 

122.50 

Apr. 

25 

10.00 

72.50 

May 

21 

10.00 

77.50 

June 

19 

10.00 

26.00 

July 

24 

10.00 

45.00 

" 

Aug. 

23 

10.00 

35.00 

56   Literary  Digest 

Feb. 

1908 

73 

$8.65 

$10.00 

Classified 

No  insertions  until  June 

2  times  each  month 

June 

1908 

24 

9.01 

40.00 

July 

26 

9.01 

26.00 

Aug. 

14 

9.01 

25.00 

Sept. 

22 

9.01 

Oct. 

22 

9.01 

65.00 

Nov. 

19 

9.01 

40.00 

Dec. 

54 

9.01 

25.00 

102 


Analytical  Advertising 


Key 

Publication 

Month 

Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost 

Return. 

56    Literary  Digest 

Jan. 

1909 

38 

$9.88 

Classified 

Feb. 

27 

9.88  $45.00 

2  times  each  month 

Mar. 

26 

9.88 

90.00 

Apr. 

9  No  ins. 

75.00 

One  time 

May 

9 

4.94 

10.00 

June 

2 

9.88 

July 

15 

9.88 

2.00 

Aug. 

11 

9.89 

31.10 

Sept. 

12 

9.88 

Oct. 

15 

9.88 

4.10 

Nov. 

14 

9.88 

2.00 

Dec. 

15 

9.88 

23.75 

Jan. 

1910 

33 

9.88 

69.00 

Feb. 

7  No.  ins. 

70.50 

Once  a  month 

Mar. 

13 

6.81 

26.06 

Apr 

8 

5.93 

7.50 

May 

6 

5.93 

31.00 

June 

21 

5.93 

13.00 

July 

9 

5.96 

26.00 

Aug. 

15 

5.96 

26.85 

Sept. 

2  No  ins. 

10.00 

Oct. 

5  No  ins. 

47.00 

Nov. 

5 

5.93 

13.00 

Dec. 

6 

5.93 

Jan. 

1911 

12 

5.93 

5.00 

Feb. 

18 

5.93 

15.00 

Mar. 

13 

5.93 

37.50 

Apr. 

15 

5.93 

35.00 

May 

13 

5.93 

25.00 

June 

9 

5.93 

July 

7 

5.93 

20.00 

€€                           tt 

Aug. 

10 

5.93 

100.00 

17    Bookkeeper 

Oct. 

1907 

58 

$5.00 

$5.00 

Classified 

Nov. 

36 

6.00 

6.00 

Dec. 

19 

6.00 

5.00 

Jan. 

1908 

47 

6.00 

5.00 

Feb. 

21  No  ins. 

25.00 

March 

16 

7.00 

15.00 

Mar. 

1909 

8 

3.32 

3.00 

April 

7 

3.32 

55.00 

May 

10 

3.32 

June 

7 

3.32 

July 

11 

3.32 

50.00 

Aug. 

5 

3.32 

1.00 

Sept. 

10 

3.32 

5.00 

Oct. 

9 

3.32 

25.00 

Nov. 

14 

3.32 

25.00 

Dec. 

14 

3.33 

1st  ins. 


Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising      103 


Key  Publication 

Month 

Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost  Returns 

1 7    Bookkeeper 

Jan. 

1910 

12 

$3.33  $43.00 

Classified 

Feb. 

10 

3.33 

5.00 

Mar. 

2  No  ins. 

50.00 

Apr. 

5 

3.34 

May 

9 

3.36 

26.00 

(2  ins.) 

June 

4 

3.35 

July 

6 

3.34 

11.00 

Aug. 

8 

3.34 

41.00 

Sept. 

13 

3.34 

31.00 

Oct. 

13 

3.34 

12.00 

Nov. 

8 

3.34 

40.00 

Dec. 

5 

3.34 

58.00 

Jan. 

1911 

15 

3.34 

32.50 

Feb. 

7 

3.34 

2.00 

Mch. 

7 

3.34 

Apr. 

6 

3.34 

May 

5 

3.34 

10.00 

June 

2 

3.34 

3.40 

July 

6 

3.34 

6.25 

13    Spare  Moments 

Jan. 

1908 

37 

$4.11 

Classified 

Feb. 

21 

4.11 

$5.00 

Mch. 

23 

4.11 

25.00 

Apr. 

39 

4.11 

30.00 

May 

35 

4.11 

36.00 

June 

22 

4.11 

65.00 

July 

16 

4.11 

Aug. 

11 

No  Edition 

Sept. 

15 

4.11 

50.00 

Oct. 

13 

4.11 

5.00 

Nov. 

11 

4.11 

30.00 

Dec. 

16 

4.11 

5.00 

Jan. 

1909 

10 

3.91 

Feb. 

7 

3.91 

15.00 

Mar. 

10 

3.91 

25.00 

Apr. 

8 

3.91 

30.00 

May 

5 

3.91 

5.00 

June 

7 

3.91 

55.00 

July 

3 

3.91 

85.00 

Aug. 

4 

3.91 

3.00 

Sept. 

6 

3.91 

26.00 

Oct. 

7 

3.91 

1.00 

Nov. 

6 

3.91 

10.00 

Dec. 

9 

3.91 

1.00 

Jan. 

1910 

2 

3.91 

2.50 

Feb. 

3 

3.91 

No  insertions  for  8  months 

Nov. 

4 

1.42 

Dec. 

4 

1.42 

1st  ins. 


104 


Analytical  Advertising 


Key     Publication 

Month  Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost 

Returns 

20  Success 

Dec. 

1907 

90 

$27.16(1  inch) 

$  5.00  1st  ins, 

One  inch  dis. 

Jan. 

1908 

84 

No  insertion 

50.00 

Three  inch 

Feb. 

110 

81.48  (3  inch) 

146.00 

Display 

Mar. 

50 

No  insertion 

110.00 

56  lines 

Apr. 

75 

81.48  (3  inch) 

130.00 

May 

86 

81.48  Same 

66.50 

June 

83 

81.48  Same 

No  insertions  until  October 

Oct. 

1908 

80 

110.88  (56  lines) 

100.00 

Nov. 

79 

110.88  Same 

186.20 

Dec. 

121 

110.88  Same 

146.50 

Jan. 

1909 

140 

110.88  Same 

95.00 

Feb. 

78 

110.88  Same 

165.00 

Mar. 

131 

110.88  Same 

181.00 

Apr. 

133 

110.88  Same 

351.00 

May 

138 

110.88  Same 

145.00 

No  position 

June 

116 

81.48  Same 

292.75 

" 

July 

67 

81.48  Same 

155.00 

Aug. 

19 

No  ins. 

157.20 

Sept. 

36 

No  ins. 

85.00 

« 

Oct. 

56 

81.48  (50  lines) 

214.60 

<( 

Nov. 

59 

81.48  Same 

101.90 

" 

Dec. 

64 

81.48  Same 

108.50 

53  Associated 

Nov. 

1907 

98 

$47.52 

$60.00  1st  ins, 

Sunday 

Jan. 

1908 

113 

47.52 

40.50 

Magazines 

Feb. 

70 

47.52 

55.00 

14  lines 

Mar. 

73 

47.52 

70.00 

Display 

Apr. 

44 

47.52 

65.00 

May 

7 

No  insertion 

49.00 

June 

33 

47.52 

72.50 

July 

16 

47.52 

80.00 

Aug. 

43 

47.52 

35 .  00 

Sept. 

54 

47.52 

25.00 

Oct. 

42 

47.52 

50.00 

Nov. 

48 

47.52 

20.00 

Dec. 

64 

47.52 

40.00 

May 

1909 

37 

47.97 

3.00 

June 

32 

47.97 

No  insertions  until  October 

Oct. 

1909 

41 

47.97 

26.00 

Nov. 

33 

47.97 

1.00 

Dec. 

36 

47.97 

31.00 

Key     Publication 

Month 

I  Yr.    Inq.     Cost 

25  Review  of  Reviews 

Feb. 

1908     35     $6.25 

1st  ins. 

Classified 

Mar. 

No  insertion 

Apr. 

22     $5 . 98 

$25 . 00 

May 

No  insertion 

June 

26       7.17 

15.00 

Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising       105 


Key     Publication 


Month     Yr.     Inq.     Cost     Returns 


25    Review  of  Reviews 

July 

No  ins. 

Classified 

Aug. 

20     $6.81 

$40.00 

Sept. 

20       7.27 

25.00 

Oct. 

14       7.27 

10.00 

Nov. 

23       7.50 

12.50 

Dec. 

21       7.50 

Jan. 

1909 

23       7.27 

40.00 

Feb. 

18       7.27 

50.00 

Mar. 

26       7.27 

45.00 

Apr. 

21       7.27 

50.00 

May 

19       7.27 

115.00 

June 

15       7.27 

10.00 

July 

14       7.27 

15.00 

Aug. 

7       7.27 

11.00 

Sept. 

22       7.27 

1.00 

Oct. 

21       7.27 

25.00 

Nov. 

21       7.27 

47.00 

Dec. 

11       7.27 

31.00 

11  Argosy  &  All  Story 

Jan. 

1908 

142  $11.25 

$20.00 

Classified 

Feb. 

58  Same 

20.00 

Mch. 

45  Same 

35.00 

Apr. 

58  Same 

35.00 

May 

82  Same 

35.00 

June 

66  Same 

25.00 

July 

60  Same 

50.00 

Aug. 

51  Same 

90.00 

Sept. 

55  Same 

70.00 

Oct. 

64  Same 

45.00 

Nov. 

68  Same 

35.00 

Dec. 

87  Same 

35.00 

Jan. 

1909 

76  Same 

70.00 

Feb. 

70  Same 

40.00 

Mch. 

75  Same 

70.00 

Apr. 

52  Same 

39.75 

May 

38  Same 

45.00 

101  Popular 

July 

1908 

31  $2.25 

Mechanics 

June 

1910 

20     3 . 65 

Classified 

July 

17     3.65 

$11.00 

Aug. 

4  No.  ins. 

.   80.00 

Sept. 

25     3.20 

62.00 

Oct. 

43     3.20 

63.00 

Nov. 

32     3.20 

21.00 

Dec. 

14     3.20 

Feb. 

1911 

26     3.20 

27.00 

Mar. 

12  No.  ins. 

48.00 

Apr. 

28     3 . 20 

67.00 

1st  ins. 


1st  ins. 


106 


Analytical  Advertising 


Key     Publication 

Month 

Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost 

] 

Returns 

101  Popular 

May 

28  $3.36 

$20.00 

Mechanics 

June 

28 

3.36 

45.50 

Classified 

July 

24 

3.36 

76.00 

Aug. 

32 

3.36 

15.00 

21  Red  and 

Mch. 

1908 

36  $7.50  R. 

B. 

1st  ins, 

Blue  Book 

Apr. 

1909 

18 

7.50  R. 

B. 

$75 . 00 

Classified 

May 

24 

3.33  R. 
7.01  R. 

B. 
B. 

25.00 

June 

12 

3.33  B. 
7.01  R. 

B 
B. 

I  50.00 

July 

13 

7.01  R. 

B. 

15.00 

Aug. 

18 

7.01  R. 

B. 

Sept. 

25 

7.01  R. 

B. 

12.00 

Oct. 

26 

7.01  R. 

B. 

49.00 

Nov. 

30 

7.01  R. 

B. 

Dec. 

34 

7.01  R. 

B. 

31.50 

Jan. 

1910 

26 

7.01  R. 

B. 

23.00 

Feb. 

28 

7.01  R. 

B. 

Mar. 

17 

7.02  R. 

B. 

63.00 

136  System 

Oct. 

1908 

7  $4.75 

$34.00  1st  ins. 

Classified 

Nov. 

8 

4.75 

43.00 

Dec. 

5 

4.75 

15.00 

(This  copy  called  Jan. 

1909 

4 

4.75 

14.88 

for  cash  for  a  set 

Feb. 

4 

4.75 

28.00 

of  collection  let- 

Mar. 

6 

4.75 

18.00 

ters.  The  inquir- 

Apr. 

1 

4.75 

34.00 

ies  shown  are  in 

May 

4 

4.75 

40.00 

addition  to  the 

June 

9 

4.75 

36.00 

cash  sales) 

July 

4 

4.75 

17.00 

Aug. 

5 

4.75 

22.00 

Sept. 

2 

4.75 

54.00 

Oct. 

3 

4.75 

15.00 

Nov. 

1 

4.75 

9.00 

Dec. 

3 

4.75 

18.00 

Jan 

1910 

3 

5.75 

19.10 

Feb. 

5 

4.95 

31.00 

Mar. 

8 

4.95 

16.00 

Apr. 

6 

4.95 

165  Business 

June 

1909 

2  $1.65 

1st  ins. 

Philosopher 

July 

6 

1.65 

$25.00 

Classified 

Aug. 

2 

No  ins. 

Sept. 

2  : 

No  ins. 

26.00 

Oct. 

3 

1.66 

Nov. 

2 

1.66 

Deo. 

3 

1.66 

Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising      107 


Key       Publication 

Month 

Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost    Returns 

165  Business 

Jan. 

1910 

2 

$1.62 

Philosopher 

Feb. 

4 

1.62 

Classified 

Mar. 

1  No  ins.  1 

B22.16 

Apr. 

3 

1.15 

May 

1 

1.15 

35.30 

June 

2  No  ins. 

6.00 

July 

4 

1.14 

11.00 

Aug. 

6  No  ins. 

23.00 

Sept. 

3  No  ins. 

Oct. 

5 

1.14 

21.00 

Nov. 

3 

1.14 

23.00 

Dec. 

2 

1.38 

Jan. 

1911 

4 

1.38 

Feb. 

5 

1.38 

Mar. 

2 

1.38 

Apr. 

1.38 

May 

1 

1.38 

5.00 

June 

3 

1.38 

July 

3 

1.38 

20.00 

Aug. 

1 

1.38 

9  Technical  World 

Jan. 

1908 

11 

$4.40  1 

$10.00  1st  ins, 

Classified 

Jan. 

1909 

9 

4.21 

12.11 

Feb 

17 

4.21 

Mar. 

17 

4.21 

- 

Apr. 

6 

4.21 

7.50 

Feb. 

1911 

4 

4.68 

20.00 

Mar. 

7 

4.68 

2.50 

Apr. 

16 

4.68 

May 

10 

4.68 

20.00 

June 

9 

4.68 

65.00 

July 

5 

4.68 

32.50 

Aug. 

8 

4.68 

15.00 

Sept. 

4.68 

5  American  Magazine 

Feb. 

1908 

29 

$7.60 

1st  ins. 

Classified 

Mch. 

22 

7.60  $25.00 

Apr. 

16 

7.60 

May 

14 

Sept. 

1908 

7 

7.60 

10.00 

Oct. 

21 

7.60 

Nov. 

16 

7.60 

10.00 

Dec. 

17 

7.60 

25.00 

Jan. 

1909 

24 

7.60 

Feb. 

19 

7.60 

No  insertions  until  May 

May 

1909 

7 

7.60 

30.00 

June 

14 

7.60 

July 

14 

7.60 

1.00 

Aug. 

11 

7.60 

81.00 

108 


Analytical  Advertising 


Key         Publication 

Month 

Yr. 

Inq. 

Cost 

Returns 

! 

67    Philadelphia  Inquirer 

Classified 

Jan.  3-17  1909 

24 

$2.10 

1st 

ins. 

Apr.  4-18 

10 

.98 

$30.00 

May  2-1  e 

I 

12 

2.10 

June  6-2C 

\ 

12 

2.10 

July  4-18 

9 

2.10 

Aug.  1-15 

12 

2.10 

25 

.00 

Sept.  5, 12, 19, 26 

10 

4.20 

1 

.00 

77    System,  %  p. 

Nov. 

1909 

13 

$7.60 

$10. 

00 

1st 

ins. 

Dec. 

9 

7.60 

40 

.00 

Jan. 

1910 

12 

7.60 

143  Busy  Man's 

Dec. 

1909 

4 

$1.42 

1st 

ins. 

Magazine  Classified 

[         May 
June 
July 

1910 

3 

1 
1 

1.42 
1.42 
1.42 

Aug. 

No  insertion 

Sept. 

2 

1.42 

Oct. 

1 

1.63 

Nov. 

1 

1.63 

Dec. 

3 

1.63 

148  Busy  Man's 

Mar. 

1909 

4 

$8.88 

1st 

ins. 

Magazine  Class 

Apr. 

5 

8.88 

X  page 

May 
June 

5 
5 

8.88 
8.88 

50    Collier's 

Feb. 

1908 

140 

100.24 

110. 

00 

1st 

ins. 

42  line  display 

Mar. 

109 

100.24 

140 

.00 

Apr. 

94 

100.23 

102 

.50 

May 

68 

100.23 

128 

.00 

June 

60 

100.24 

90 

.00 

113  Business  Life 

Aug. 

1908 

17 

$4.49 

1st 

ins, 

Sept. 

8 

4.49  $10.00 

Oct. 

1 

5.28 

30 

.00 

127  System  Classified 

Apr. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

1908 
1908 

8 
6 
9 
7 
13 

4.71 
4.71 
4.75 
4.75 
4.75 

1st 

ins, 

54    Hearst's  Sunday 

American  Mag. 

1  time 

Oct. 

1907 

39 

$12.00 

1st 

ins. 

2  times 

Nov. 

65 

24.00  $10, 

.00 

2  times 

Dec. 

45 

24.00 

35 

.00 

2  times 

Jan. 

1908 

67 

24.00 

35. 

.00 

2  times 

Feb. 

51 

24.00 

bb 

00 

2  times 

Mar. 

50 

24.00 

52 

.00 

1  time 

Apr. 

21 

12.00 

50 

.00 

Records  of  Consecutive  Advertising      109 


Key       Publication 


54  Hearst's  Sun.  Am.  Mag. 


Month      Yr.     Inq.    Cost    Returns 


3  times 

May 

43  $36.00  $30.45 

2  times 

June 

47     24.00     65.00 

2  times 

July 

47     24 . 00 

2  times 

Aug. 

48     24.00 

1  time 

Sept. 

38     12.00 

1  time 

Oct. 

26     12.00     20.00 

7  Cosmopolitan 

Feb. 

1908 

51  $10.00 

Classified 

No  insertions  until  May 

May 

1909 

13     10.00  $35.00 

June 

19     10.00     25.00 

July 

35     10.00     55.00 

Aug. 

38     10.00 

Sept. 

36     10.00     35.00 

Oct. 

36     10.00     52.00 

Nov. 

32     10.00     50.00 

Dec. 

32     10.00 

1st  ins. 


15  System 

56  line  display 


8  Munsey's 
Classified 


343  System,  yi  Page 


424  System,  1  Page 


Oct.      1907  170  $29.69 


1st  ins. 


1909 


Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May 


Feb.      1908 
Feb.      1909 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 


June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 


1910 


1910 


27  25.46  $36.00 
40  25.46  35.00 
18  No  ins.     80.00 

23  25 .46  65 . 00 

40  25.46  20.00 

53  $12.50 

24  12.50  $61.00 

41  12.50  90.00 
21  12.50  25.00 
16  12.50  25.00 

44  $62.66  $58.00 
67  62.66  93.00 
93  62.66  133.50 
74  62.66  55.85 


1st  ins. 


135  125.32  52.25  1st  ins. 
149  125.32  166.50 
169  125.32  261.50 
182  125.32  375.25 
1911  192  167.09  381.00 
148  167.09  547.75 
119  167.09  434.75 


6  Merchant's  Record 
and  Show  Window 
X  Page 


Feb.      1908 
May     1911 
June 
July 


15  $12.54 
4  12.54 
4  12.54 
2     12.54 


1st  ins. 


110 


Analytical  Advertising 


Key       Publication 

Month  Yr. 

Inq 

.    Cost    Returns 

428  Popular  Electricity 
Classified 

Nov. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 

1910 
1911 

14     $1.91                  1st  ins. 

3  1.91 

4  No  ins. 
7       1.91 

11       1.91 

456  System,  1  Page 

245  Case  and  Comment 
yi  page 

May 

June 

July 

Aug. 

Jan. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May 

1911 

1909 
1910 

119  167.09  $70.00 

123  167.09  206.00 

32  No  ins.   102.50 

112  167.09  142.50 

24     13.61                  1st  ins, 

9       5.82 

6       5.82     13.00 

9       5.82     10.76 

6  No  ins. 

7  5.45     26.00 

Key       Publication 
219  Common  Sense 

7  lines  Dis. 

7  lines  Dis. 

yi  page 

Month  Yr.  Inq. 

Jan.      1909       6 
Feb.                    1 
Mar.                   3 

Cost    Returns 

$4.66 
4.66 
14.25  $10.00 

246  Pacific  Monthly, 
%  page 

Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June 

1909 

12 

9 

12 

11 

9 

28.87     None 
28.87       " 
28.87 
28.87 
28.87       " 

253  Advertisers'  Magazine 
56  lines 

Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 

1909 

6 

7 

11 

7.98  $25.00 

9.50 

9.50     25.00 

263  System,  1  Page 


Mar.  1909  143  106.88     50.00 

Apr.  159  106.88  125.00 

May  74  No  ins.  125.00 

June  133  106.87  135.00 


Were  there  the  slightest  tendency  exhibited  by  the 
above  records  to  show  anything  but  one  thing  relative  to 
"cumulative  value"  it  would  be  interesting  to  further 
analyze  why  certain  showings  appear  to  gain  now  and 
then.  For  the  purpose  of  the  point  made  by  them  it  is 
only  necessary  to  call  attention  to  the  workings  of  the  law 
of  diminishing  returns.  The  latter  is  the  real  law  of  ad- 
vertising, and  not  cumulative  value.  Other  records  to 
follow  prove  the  same  law. 


More  Records  of  Consecutive 
Showings 

In  a  later  chapter  will  be  found  the  complete  records  of 
Prof.  Beery's  School  of  Horsemanship.  An  explanation 
of  his  wonderful  school,  as  well  as  an  exposition  of  the 
records  given  will  make  the  present  excerpts  from  the  ad- 
vertising returns  more  lucid.  Prof.  Beery's  records  cover 
a  period  from  October,  1909,  to  July,  1911,  and  from  them 
I  have  had  great  difficulty  in  picking  out  any  considerable 
number  that  permitted  study  from  the  viewpoint  of  cumu- 
lative value  in  its  relation  to  consecutive  insertions. 

The  policy  of  Prof.  Beery  has  been  to  key  alike  all  ad- 
vertisements in  any  single  publication.  This  has  been 
distinctly  confusing,  as  it  has  permitted  no  dependable 
date  on  the  comparative  pulling  power  of  different  sized 
copy.  For  the  present  purpose  it  also  made  it  practically 
impossible  to  show  the  exact  results  of  consecutive  show- 
ings. Even  those  chosen  are  bound  to  reflect  the  influence 
of  previous  showings  to  some  extent,  as  every  old  adver- 
tisement run  at  any  time  in  the  publications  quoted  may 
be  expected  to  yield  some  returns  from  time  to  time,  all  of 
which  are  credited  to  insertions  in  no  way  responsible  for 
such  returns.  This  fact  detracts  to  a  certain  extent 
from  the  value  of  the  records.  The  tendency  of  the  in- 
sertions that  preceded  practically  every  series  quoted  has 
been  to  give  them  credit  for  some  returns  not  due  the  in- 
sertions tabulated. 

In  studying  these  returns  there  are  two  features  respon- 
sible for  certain  manifestations  that  on  their  face  seem  to 
show  some  cumulative  value.  It  is  my  judgment  that 
they  do  not,  however.  One  is  that  a  number  of  second 
insertions  show  more  inquiries  than  the  flrst.  This  is  ex- 
plained by  the  fact  that  a  large  number  of  the  publications 
are  issued  well  toward  the  middle  of  a  month  preceding 
the  date  of  issue.  A  January  insertion  in  most  magazines 
begins  to  pull  about  the  twentieth  of  December,  or  earlier, 
and  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  inquiries  for  that  month 
are  in  before  the  count  begins  in  January  itself.  A  first 
insertion  also  usually  pulls  well  for  almost  two  months, 

111 


112 


Analytical  Advertising 


and  if  repeated  the  next  month  is  responsible  for  an  in- 
creased showing  then,  due  entirely  to  the  actual  inquiries 
resulting  from  the  first  insertion.  This  explanation  has 
been  previously  made,  but  is  repeated  that  no  one  may 
overlook  its  importance. 

A  second  fact  of  interest  is  that  the  second  or  any  sub- 
sequent showing  that  reflects  an  increase  in  returns  will 
be  found  falling  in  the  months  of  January  and  February. 
These  are  the  two  best  months  for  this  proposition,  ap- 
pealing as  it  does  to  the  farmer  boys  and  small  town 
readers. 

The  cumulative  value,  if  any,  would  be  reflected  en- 
tirely in  the  number  of  inquiries,  and  not  the  cash  received. 
The  latter  shows  no  such  gain  as  it  should,  due  to  a  short 
follow-up.  In  the  present  records,  however,  only  inquiries 
are  quoted,  as  it  is  through  them  alone  that  cumulative 
value  would  be  manifest,  if  any.  As  the  follow-up  was 
working  on  all  previous  inquiries  from  these  publications 
it  was  absolutely  impossible  to  attempt  proving  anything 
by  the  cash  returns  during  the  months  quoted,  which  I 
think  will  be  perfectly  obvious. 

Publication 
Collier's  Weekly- 


Farmer's  Advocate 


Farm  &  Fireside 


Farm  Progress 


Year 

Month 

Inq. 

Adv.  C^ost 

1909 

Dec. 

129 

$65 . 25 

1910 

Jan. 

67 

65 .  25 

1910 

Feb. 

112 

65 .  25 

1910 

Mch. 

21 

No  ins. 

1910 

Apr. 

74 

65.25 

1910 

May 

121 

65 .  25 

1910 

June 

51 

65.25 

1910 

Nov. 

7 

$  5.88 

1910 

Dec. 

11 

5.88 

1911 

Jan. 

21 

5.88 

1911 

Feb. 

11 

5.88 

1911 

Mch. 

15 

5.88 

1911 

Apr. 

5 

5.88 

1911 

May 

6 

5.88 

1910 

Dec. 

63 

$84.00 

1911 

Jan. 

233 

84.00 

1911 

Feb. 

183 

84.00 

1911 

Mch. 

138 

84.00 

1910 

Dec. 

252 

$100.00 

1911 

Jan. 

326 

100.00 

1911 

Feb. 

172 

100.00 

More  Records  of  Consecutive  Showings      113 


Publication 

Year 

Month 

Inq. 

Adv.  Cost 

Farm,  Stock  &  Home 

1911 

Jan. 

220 

$80.00 

1911 

Feb. 

274 

80.00 

1911 

Mch. 

140 

80.00 

1911 

Apr. 

150 

80.00 

The  Farmer 

1911 

Jan. 

403 

120.00 

1911 

Feb. 

379 

120.00 

1911 

Mch. 

179 

120.00 

1911 

Apr. 

125 

120.00 

Farmer's  Voice 

1911 

Jan. 

18 

14.70 

1911 

Feb. 

14 

14.70 

1911 

Mch. 

17 

14.70 

Green's  Fruit  Grower 

1910 

Oct. 

11 

21.00 

1910 

Nov. 

4 

21.00 

1910 

Dec. 

10 

21.00 

1911 

Jan. 

21 

21.00 

1911 

Feb. 

34 

21.00 

Holland's  Magazine 

1910 

Nov. 

8 

12.60 

1910 

Dec. 

4 

12.60 

1911 

Jan. 

9 

12.60 

1911 

Feb. 

29 

12.60 

Kansas  City  Star 

1911 

Jan. 

333 

100.00 

t 

1911 

Feb. 

422 

100.00 

1911 

Mch. 

237 

100.00 

1911 

Apr. 

135 

100.00 

Ohio  Farmer 

1911 

Jan. 

231 

85.00 

1911 

Feb. 

198 

85.00 

1911 

Mch. 

116 

15.00 

Outlook 

1910 

Dec. 

24 

29.00 

1911 

Jan. 

44 

29.00 

1911 

Feb. 

22 

29.00 

1911 

Mch. 

14 

No  ins. 

1911 

Apr. 

4 

29.00 

Penn.  Grit 

1911 

Jan 

307 

240.00 

1911 

Feb. 

365 

240.00 

1911 

Mch. 

298 

240.00 

R.  F.  D.  News 

1909 

Oct. 

10 

7.50 

1909 

Nov. 

10 

7.50 

1909 

Dec. 

8 

7.50 

1910 

Jan. 

16 

7.50 

1910 

Feb. 

10 

7.50 

1910 

Mch. 

11 

7.50 

114 


Analytical  Advertising 


Publication 

Year 

Month 

Inq. 

Adv.  Cost 

R.  F.  D.  News 

1910 
1910 
1910 
1910 
1910 
1910 

Apr. 
May 
June 

July 

Aug. 
Sept. 

8 
2 
7 
3 
8 
13 

$7.50 
7.50 
7.50 
7.50 
7.50 
7.50 

Rural  Weekly 

1911 
1911 
1911 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

191 
159 
139 

50.00 
50.00 
50.00 

Sovereign  Visitor 

1910 
1910 
1910 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

145 

114 

74 

63.00 
03.00 
63.00 

Southern  Cultivator 

1911 
1911 
1911 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

57 
20 
34 

8.40 
8.40 
8.40 

Up-to-Date  Farming 

1911 
1911 
1911 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

120 
219 
100 

100.00 
100.00 
100.00 

Wallace  Farmer 

1911 
1911 
1911 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

334 
352 
249 

110.00 
110.00 
110.00 

Weekly  Dispatch 

1911 
1911 
1911 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

203 
182 
124 

50.00 
50.00 
50.00 

Wisconsin  Agriculturist 

1911 
1911 
1911 
1911 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 

147 
215 
164 
lOG 

50.00 
50.00 
50.00 
50.00 

As  a  sidelight  on  the  above  records  the  results  of  a  single 
insertion,  not  followed  immediately  by  any  other  showing, 
will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  proportion  of  inquiries  due  to 
previous  insertions.  These  records  will  show  that  a  num- 
ber of  the  above  records  are  swelled  in  the  second  insertion 
by  answers  from  the  first,  and  those  in  the  third  from  the 
first  and  second,  and  those  of  the  third  by  those  of  the 
first,  second  and  third.  Where  single  records  (not  affected 
by  previous  showings)  could  not  be  picked  out  none  will 
be  shown. 


More  Records  of  Consecutive  Showings       115 

Examples  of  the  pulUng  power  of  one  insertion  in  the 
above  mediums: 


Publication 

Year 

Month 

Inq. 

Adv.Cost 

Collier's  Weekly 

1910 

June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

71 

25 

9 

14 

$94.50 

Farmers'  Advocate 

1910 

Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 

16 

16 

2 

2 

12.00 

Farm  Progress 

1909 

Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Jan. 

18 

28 
7 
4 

42.00 

Farm,  Stock  &  Home 

1910 

May 
June 
July 
Aug. 

15 
3 
2 

1 

16.80 

Kansas  City  Star 

1910 

Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 

172 

49 

3 

100.00 

Outlook 

1910 

May 

June 
July 
Aug. 

27 

16 

5 

2 

57.00 

Penn.  Grit 

1910 

Feb. 
Mch. 
Apr. 
May 

461 

85 

9 

4 

120.00 

Sovereign  Visitor 

1910 
1911 

Dec. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mch. 

83 
14 
10 

7 

63 .  00 

Up-to-Date  Farming 

1909 

Nov. 
Dec. 
Jan. 

17 

33 

6 

29.40 

Wisconsin  Agriculturist 

1910 

May 

June 
July 

20 
11 

1 

10.50 

116  Analytical  Advertising 

The  records  of  a  small  business  taken  over  by  The  Amer- 
ican Collection  Service  may  be  of  some  interest,  as  they 
reflect  the  steady  pulling  power  of  the  so-called  standard 
magazines.  This  business  was  conducted  about  six  months, 
as  an  attempted  competitor.  It  was  a  flat  failure.  It  is 
one  of  some  twenty  who  have  attempted  to  emulate  the 
example  of  The  American  Collection  Service.  After  its 
demise  its  records  were  taken  over  for  what  they  might 
prove  to  be  worth. 


Why?        Why? 

Why  will  ambitious  men  toil  for  others 
when  only  honest  effort  and  practically 
no  investment  are  needed  to  establish 
a  big,  paying,  independent  business  of 
their  own  ?    The  answer  is — they  don't 
know — they  are  in  the  dark. 
Are  YOU  in  the  Dark? 
Do  you  think  the  Collection  Business  arduous 
— undignified — slow  or  unprofitable  ?  Do  you 
J      v.-ant  the  TRUTH?  Will  you  investigate,  then 
decide  for  yourself  ?    Then  write  today  for  our 
free  book — "Collection  Mfthods"  and  learn 
of  the  opportunity  awaiting  YOU.    Do  it  NOW. 
J  MOHAWK  MERCANTILE  BUREAU 

^  137  Mohawk  Bldg.,  Chicago 


These  records  show  much  better  returns  from  the  single 
insertions,  relatively,  than  for  the  repeated  showings.  The 
results  from  the  single  showings  also  make  clear  why  the 
repeated  showings  appear  to  grow  stronger  with  repeti- 
tion. The  single  Circle  insertion,  for  instance,  pulled 
stronger  the  second  month  tha^i  the  first,  and  pulled 
almost  as  many  the  fourth  as  the  first.  The  complete 
records  of  this  failure  are  given  below: 

Circle  Magazine — Space  21  lines — Ad.    cost    $11.78 — Cash    returns 
$5.00 

Inquiries,   January,  21     Only  one  insertion 
February,  31 
March,  14 
April,  14 
Collier's   Weekly — Space  6  line  classified — Ad.  cost  $45.00 — Cash 
$10.00— Three  insertions — Nov.  6,  Nov.  20,  1909  and  one  time  in 
January,  1910. 

Inquiries,    Nov.,  1909,  7.  Ad.  cost  $30. 
Dec,  6;  returns  $5.00 
Jan.,  1910,  34;  Ad  cost  $15. 
Feb.,    1910,   48. 
March,  1910,  17;  returns  $5.00. 


More  Records  of  Consecutive  Showings      117 

Everybody's — Space,     5    line    classified — Ad.     cost     $37.50 — Cash 
$10.00 — Three  insertions,  Nov.  and  Dec,  1909,  and  Jan.,  1910. 
Inquiries,    Nov.,  9;  Aci.  cost,  $12.50. 

Dec,  11;  Ad  cost,  $12.50. 

Jan.,  28;  Ad.  cost,  $12.50;  Returns,  $10.00. 

Feb.,  34. 

Mch.,    16. 

April,  20. 

Success — Space,  21  lines — Ad.  cost,  $31.50 — Returns,  none. 
Inquiries,   Jan.,  109;  Only  one  insertion  1910. 
Feb.,  116. 

March,  47.  , 

April,  59. 
May,  3. 

System— Space,  6  line  classified— Ad.  cost,  $28.75— Cash,   $35.00. 
Five  insertions  as  given  below,  two  in  1909,  and  three  1910. 
Inquiries,    Nov.,  5;  cost,  $5.75. 

Dec,  11;  cost  $5.75;  returns,  $5.00. 
Jan.,  19;  cost,  $5.75;  returns,  $10.00. 
Feb.,  31;  cost,  $5.75;  returns,  $15.00. 
March,    28;   cost,   $5.75; 
April,  25;  returns,  $5.00. 
May,  1. 

System — Space  21  lines — Ad.  cost,  $12.69 — Cash,  none. 

Inquiries,   Jan.,  25;  cost,  $12.69;  only  one  insertion   1910. 
Feb.,  37. 
March,  26. 
April,  20. 
May,  1. 

Unkeyed  returns. 

Inquiries,   Jan.,  1910,  8. 

Feb.,    1910,    16. 

March,  1910,  9;  returns,  $5.00. 

April,  1910,  11. 

May,   1910,  none. 

June,  1910,  none;  returns,  $5.00. 

Another  business  whose  advertising  results  next  appear, 
is  particularly  interesting,  as  the  advertiser  had  been  en- 
couraged to  order  three  consecutive  insertions  in  a  num- 
ber of  publications.  These  records  are  those  of  a  fireless 
and  electric  cooker  business,  and  are  its  first  advertising 
records.  The  advertiser  started  his  campaign  in  absolute 
ignorance  of  proper  mail  order  procedure,  knew  absolutely 


118  Analytical  Advertising 

nothing  of  proper  record  keeping,  and  at  the  end  of  three 
months  had  no  conception  whatever  of  the  results  of  his 
efforts,  or  their  causes.  I  was  called  in  on  the  case  to  ana- 
lyze his  records,  put  them  in  shape  and  install  a  proper 
system  of  record  keeping.  I  found  the  records  in  a  per- 
fectly hopeless  condition,  and  was  forced  to  start  an  en- 
tirely new  set.  This  was  done  by  checking  every  original 
inquiry  with  such  cards  as  could  be  found,  and  making 
new  cards  for  hundreds  of  inquiries  of  which  no  record 
had  been  made.  Dozens  of  orders  had  been  secured,  with 
no  record  of  any  inquiry  to  be  found.  This  precluded  any 
degree  of  proper  credit  being  given  for  a  majority  of  the 
sales,  which  I  was  forced  to  check  as  unkeyed.  The  largest 
volume  of  sales  in  proportion  to  any  one  medium,  was  that 
to  the  trade.  These  orders  were  secured  through  a  direct 
advertising  campaign,  which  had  been  foolishly  "keyed" 
to  the  address  used  on  the  regular  stationery.  This  served 
to  complicate  the  case  for  checking  purposes,  but  I  am  of 
the  opinion  that  the  results  finally  worked  out  and  checked 
give  an  approximately  fair  credit  to  each  publication  used. 

In  addition  to  the  hopeless  state  of  the  records,  no  proper 
follow-up  had  been  sent  to  original  inquiries.  A  large 
number  had  been  sent  one  letter  and  catalogue,  and  no 
record  kept  of  the  inquirer.  A  few  had  been  sent  a  second 
letter,  but  no  proper  records  had  been  kept  of  them.  A 
complete  set  of  follow-up  letters  had  to  be  written  and  an 
entire  set  of  new  circulars  prepared,  after  which  it  was 
possible  to  check  up  nearly  all  of  the  previous  inquiries 
and  sales. 

In  the  table  that  follows  will  be  shown  the  results  of 
all  advertising  done  by  this  business.  I  am  including  the 
one  time  showings  with  the  rest.  Wherever  three  time 
showings  were  carried  out  in  any  publication  the  law  of 
diminishing  returns  is  striking.  In  the  "Ad.  Cost"  column 
the  number  of  times  each  showing  ran  will  be  made  clear, 
as  an  entry  is  made  in  this  column  for  each  appearance  of 
the  copy.  In  these  records,  as  in  others  shown,  the  publi- 
cations have  been  given  more  than  a  chance  to  prove 
cumulative  value,  as  every  piece  of  copy  was  keyed  the 
same  each  time  it  was  repeated  in  the  same  publication. 
The  complete  records  follow: 


More  Records  of  Consecutive  Showings      119 


Publication 

All  1911 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost. 

Bee  Keeper 
56  lines 

Aug. 
Sept. 

1 
4 

$12.50 

Not  shown 

Christian  End.  World 
56  lines 

June 
July 

3 
1 

$25 . 20 

Christian  Herald 
All  56  lines 

May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

98 

51 

8 

4 

2 

55.80 
138.85 
115.53 
215.14 

84.80 

84.80 

84.80 

No.  ins. 

Clinical  Medicine 
56  lines 

June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

2 
14 
12 
10 

22.40 
94.50 
24.00 
46.60 

Not  Shown 

Columbian 
56  lines 

June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

6 
20 

18 
8 

11.50 

31.25 

Good  Housekeeping 

All  56  lines  except  July, 
which  was  one  page 

May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

154 

139 

177 

74 

54 

90.00 
253.65 
596.64 
381.10 
149.30 

84.00 

84.00 

336.00 

No  ins. 

House  Furn.  Review 
All  56  lines 

June 
July 
Aug. 

2 
38 
12 

11.50 

232.50 

85.95 

32.00 
32.00 
32.00 

Iron  Age  Hardware 
All  56  lines 

April 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

9 

2 

21 

5 

1 
5 

24.60 

39.00 

108.50 

16.00 
32.00 
32.00 
32.00 
32.00 

Ladies  Home  Journal 
42  lines,  One  time 

July 
Aug. 
Sept. 

192 

334 

71 

499.90 
202.25 

294.00 

Lippincott's  Mag., 
56  lines 

Aug. 
Sept. 

2 
1 

13.20 

Not  shown 

Michigan  Churchman,  56  lines 

July 

3.50 

No.  Western  Christ.  Adv. 
5G  lines 

June 
July 

2 

11.50 

7.72 

120 


Analytical  Advertising 


Publication  All  191 1|  Inq,    Returns        Ad.  Cost. 

Pittsburg  Christ.  Adv.,  56  lines      June  3  $14.00 


Popular  Electricity 

May 

25 

56  lines 

June 

10 

$63.90 

25.00 

July 

6 

41.65 

25.00 

Aug. 

Sept. 

4 

17.00 

Popular  Mechanics 

May 

112 

91.50 

75.00 

56  lines 

June 

63 

224.78 

75.00 

July 

35 

125.50 

75.00 

Aug. 

18 

201.50 

Sept. 

14 

46.10 

Record  of  Christ.  Work 

June 

6 

56  lines 

July 

3 

11.50 

10.08 

Aug. 

1 

6.00 

Red  Book 

May 

41 

103.80 

75.00 

56  lines 

June 

25 

51.60 

75.00 

July 

13 

12.50 

Aug. 

1 

Sept. 

4 

Saturday  Eve.  Post 

June 

247 

78.50 

252.00 

42  lines 

July 

44 

288.88 

One  time 

Aug. 

15 

202.85 

Sept. 

9 

63.50 

Sunday  School  Times 

May 

76 

58.00 

44.80 

56  lines 

June 

36 

49.29 

44.80 

July 

10 

83.00 

44.80 

Aug. 

35.00 

Sept. 

1 

92.30 

Western  Christ.  Adv. 

June 

2 

5.60 

56  lines 

July 

1 

Trade  Circulars 

June 

107 

218.75 

(No    record 

(Return  Postal  Direct  Adv.) 

July 

129 

712.48 

of 

number 

Aug. 

3 

438.23 

of 

cards 

Sept. 

7 

24.79 

mailed  and 

no 

cost 

record) 

Unkeyed 

April 

41 

May 

29 

47.50 

June 

78 

342.41 

. 

July 

96 

385.50 

Aug. 

101 

173.15 

Sept. 

2 

163.12 

An  Exceptional  Business  and 
Its  Records 

Among  the  records  shown  in  the  previous  chapter  are 
several  from  the  tabulated  results  of  Professor  Beery 's 
School  of  Horsemanship.  Having  been  furnished  with 
the  complete  results  of  this  institution's  advertising  from 
October,  1909,  to  July,  1911,  I  believe  that  the  interest  it 
afforded  me  will  prove  equally  strong  for  other  advertisers. 

Professor  Beery  has  been  engaged  in  teaching  Scientific 
Horsemanship  by  mail  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  a 
thorough  master  of  horse  training,  and  has  been  wonder- 
fully successful  in  teaching  the  principles  of  his  calling  to 
others.  His  school  has  enrolled  thousands  of  students,  all 
of  whom  he  has  taught  exclusively  by  mail.  His  course 
naturally  appeals  most  to  young  men  in  rural  communi- 
ties, where  the  opportunities  for  dealing  with  horses  are 
greatest.  His  instruction  is  not  limited  to  mere  horse 
"breaking,"  however,  but  includes  the  training  of  colts, 
the  submission  of  vicious  horses,  and  the  gentler  arts  of 
training  saddle  and  driving  horses  to  gaited  performances. 

The  very  sincerity  and  earnest  purpose  of  Mr.  Beery 
account,  in  a  very  large  measure,  for  his  success,  for,  in 
spite  of  extravagant  expenditures  for  advertising,  his 
school  is  a  decidedly  successful  achievement. 

The  price  of  Professor  Beery 's  course  is  $10.00.  His 
instruction  furnished  by  mail  is  undoubtedly  worth  a  great 
deal  more,  and  one  of  my  suggestions  to  him  was  raising 
the  price  of  his  course  not  less  than  $5.00,  at  which  figure 
I  am  convinced  he  would  sell  more  scholarships  than  he 
does  at  $10.00.  My  own  experience  in  raising  the  price 
of  a  course  has  proved  that  more  are  sold  after  an  increase 
than  before.  In  addition  to  the  fees  for  tuition  his  school 
secures  a  very  material  revenue  from  the  sale  of  special 
harness,  supplies,  driving  carts,  etc. 

A  patented  breaking  bit  is  also  the  source  of  royalties 
from  the  trade,  the  income  from  which  is  not  included  in 
any  of  the  records  that  follow.  The  figures  to  be  shown 
have  credited  to  the  various  publications  the  sales  from 

121 


122  Analytical  Advertising 

supplies  to  students,  however,  as  well  as  the  sums  received 
for  lessons  and  instruction. 

Although  Professor  Beery  has  operated  his  school  for 
a  number  of  years  no  attempt  was  ever  made  to  check  re- 
turns until  1909.  The  records  to  follow  have  been  copied 
from  the  record  books  of  the  school,  which  were  particu- 
larly well  kept,  as  far  as  it  was  possible  to  give  the  proper 
credit  for  the  inquiries  and  cash  received.  The  most  cur- 
sory examination  of  the  record  book  exhibited  a  condition 
extremely  interesting  to  me,  for  while  the  records  them- 
selves had  been  proved  and  balanced  with  cash  books  and 
ledgers,  their  most  significant  import  had  been  constantly 
ignored.  The  most  important  and  obvious  thing  they 
proved  was  the  entire  absence  of  a  cost  system  on  in- 
quiries.   A  more  subtle  deduction,  but  not  less  important, 


Train  Your  Colt 

in  8  Hours— Break  Your 
Horse  of  Any  Bad  Habits 

by  my  simple  method.  I  can  teach  you  to  break 
any  colt  in  8  hours  thru  my  wonderful  mail  sys- 
tem, or  break  your  horse 
of  any  bad  habits,  such  as 
, balking:,  kicking,  shying, 
beingf  afraid  of  automo- 
biles; in  fact,  any  habit  can  be 
cured  by  my  method. 
Instructions  complete  and  simple; 
mastered  in  a  short  time  with  little 
study. 

$1,200  to  $3,000  a  Year 

At  Home  or  Travellngr 

Several  of  my  pupils  are  making  big  money 
giving  exhibitions  in  different  cities.  Others 
train  horses  at  home,  making^lS  to  S2S  a  head. 
You  can  do  the  same. 

I  have  graduate  pupils  in  everv  walk  in  life- 
Farmers.  Professional  Horse  Trainers,  Horse 
Breeders.  Rldingr  Masters,  Teamsters,  etc. 

I  have  two  courses— one.  '•How  to  Train  a  Oolt  to 
Drive,  and  Break  Horses  of  Bad  Habits" ~th©  other. 

How  to  Ride  and  Train  the  Saddle  Horse;  Differens 
(jraits  and  Fancy  Steps  " 

Let  me  send  you  my  Free  Book  on  horses,  and  the 
opportunities  open  to  you.  Write  today,  now,  while 
you  think  of  it,  for  Free  Book.  Also  tell  me  about 
your  horse.  (14) 

Prof.  Jesse  Beery.  Box  ,  Pleassint  Hill.  Ohio 

42  line  Copy 


An  Exceptional  Business  and  Its  Records   123 

was  the  proof  they  gave  of  an  inefficient  initial  record 
keeping  system. 

Professor  Beery  allowed  me  to  take  his  record  book,  and 
the  figures  were  transferred  by  me  to  cards.  The  entire 
transfer  took  one  clerk  four  days  of  fast  copying,  after 
which  I  returned  the  record  book  to  Pleasant  Hill,  Ohio. 
Two  other  clerks  have  since  checked  and  recopied  the 
records,  but  the  initial  transfer  had  to  be  done  so  quickly, 
that  a  number  of  slight  errors  resulted.  The  original 
record  book  was  the  regular  working  book  of  the  school 
and  my  desire  to  get  it  back  to  the  Professor  with  as  slight 
inconvenience  to  him  as  possible,  made  careful  checking 
of  the  original  transfer  out  of  the  question.  The  "average 
error"  was  thus  somewhat  magnified,  which  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  excuse  several  slight  discrepancies  in  the  records 
themselves.  I  make  this  explanation,  as  I  do  not  wish  to 
present  these  records  as  absolutely  accurate,  as  several 
minor  errors  are  apparent. 

Eliminating  from  consideration  several  minor  errors  of 
this  character  the  records  will  disclose  a  condition  fairly 
accurate.  Several  sources  of  income  are  not  included  in 
the  records  to  be  shown.  On  the  profit  of  this  income, 
from  sources  not  credited  to  magazine  advertising,  the 
business  has  been  carried  along,  as  the  old  superstition  of 
cumulative  value  committed  the  Professor  to  advertising 
expenditures,  extravagant  to  the  highest  degree.  This 
was  made  perfectly  clear  through  the  simple  expedient  of 
determining  the  cost  of  doing  business  in  one  year,  1910, 
and  on  that  basis  computing  the  average  cost  of  follow- 
ing-up every  inquiry. 

When  I  secured  the  records,  no  attempt  had  ever  been 
made  to  compute  accurately  the  amount  of  profit  or  the 
amount  of  loss  each  publication  had  yielded.  Out  of  107 
mediums  used  I  discovered  that  only  23  showed  a  profit. 
This  percentage  would  not  have  been  so  important  had 
it  not  proved  that  a  large  number  of  publications  were 
being  used  constantly  at  an  ever  increasing  loss,  due  to  a 
system  of  ordering  that  simply  subtracted  from  the  cash 
received  the  amount  paid  to  each  publication  for  the 
advertising.  As  a  large  number  of  publications  pulled  in- 
quiries to  an  astonishing  degree,  they  were  constantly  used 


124  Analytical  Advertising 

at  an  ever  increasing  loss,  on  account  of  the  small  per- 
centage of  money  they  actually  developed.  It  was  a 
favorite  theory  of  the  Professor  that  "one  inquiry  was  as 
good  as  another."  Clearly  illogical  in  this,  he  might  have 
saved  himself  thousands  of  dollars  by  accurate  record 
keeping. 

After  tabulating  the  results  from  all  mediums,  and 
checking  with  the  "unkeyed"  returns  I  was  immediately 
impressed  by  a  discrepancy  between  the  relation  of  un- 
keyed  inquiries  to  the  total  inquiries,  and  the  unkeyed 
cash  with  the  total  cash.  The  returns  checked  showed  a 
total  number  of  inquiries  of  95,795,  of  which  2,361  were 
unkeyed,  an  average  of  .024%.  Out  of  cash  returns  of 
$131,700.12  I  found  $19,696.73  unkeyed,  or  an  average  of 
.149%.  This  difference  of  12>^%  clearly  proved  that 
proper  care  had  not  been  taken  to  check  every  payment 
with  the  original  inquiry. 

This  suspicion  was  amply  confirmed  on  questioning  the 
clerks  and  members  of  the  school's  staff,  who  frankly  ad- 
mitted that  hundreds  of  orders  were  received  on  which  the 
original  inquiry  could  not  be  found  at  once,  and  that  the 
money  would  be  credited  to  unkeyed,  when  a  record  of 
the  key  was  somewhere  on  file,  but  difficult  to  find.  This 
condition  was  not  the  fault  of  the  office  force,  but  abso- 
lutely due  to  the  system,  which  consisted  in  a  geographical 
distribution  of  original  cards,  instead  of  alphabetical. 
Double  records  were  kept  of  original  inquiries,  but  the 
system  of  recording  them  made  scientific  checking  impos- 
sible, and  moreover  took  four  girls  on  filing  that  a  simple 
and  more  rational  system  would  reduce  to  an  accurate  and 
inexpensive  record,  needing  not  more  than  half  the  labor. 
I  had  condemned  the  system  before  seeing  the  records,  as 
it  was  obvious  that  the  method  of  indexing  made  accurate 
checking  impossible.  The  cumbersome  expensive  system 
would  have  merited  consideration  had  it  been  accurate, 
but  its  extravagance  proved  its  own  unworthiness  in  the 
analysis  of  results  relative  to  unkeyed  cash  returns. 

Before  attempting  to  secure  an  accurate  idea  of  the 
cost  of  follow-up  I  made  a  rough  guess  that  each  inquiry 
cost  $1.20  to  follow-up.  An  accurate  analysis  showed  that 
it  cost  $1.17  (plus)  during  the  year  1910.     As  accurate 


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126  Analytical  i\dvertising 

figures  were  not  available  for  1909,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
no  proper  system  had  been  installed  until  October,  and  as 
no  trial  sheet  had  been  taken  for  the  six  months  in  1911,  I 
took  $1.17  as  a  fairly  accurate  basis  for  computing  the 
probable  cost  per  inquiry  for  the  entire  period.  The  rec- 
ords that  follow  are  all  computed  on  this  basis.  Owning 
their  building,  no  account  was  taken  of  rent.  Neither  was 
interest  nor  depreciation  considered.  Both  should  enter, 
but  for  purposes  of  comparison  I  proceeded  without  a  more 
accurate  basis  for  the  period  than  $1.17.  This  figure  is 
therefore  not  strictly  scientific  or  accurate.  It  is  probably 
not  more  than  five  cents  out  of  the  way,  however,  and  that 
difference  will  not  serve  to  make  the  comparative  results 
less  significant,  either  way. 

After  deciding  on  $1.17  as  the  cost  per  inquiry  it  was 
necessary  to  apportion  to  each  publication  its  average 
share  of  the  large  amount  of  unkeyed  cash.  It  is,  of  course, 
undeniably  probable  that  the  best  publications  are  respon- 
sible for  the  largest  percentage  of  the  unkeyed  cash.  I 
disregarded  this,  however,  in  an  effort  to  give  the  weak 
sisters  every  advantage  of  doubt.  An  expert  accountant 
was  secured  by  me  to  reduce  this  problem  to  a  scientifically 
accurate  basis,  as  I  somewhat  distrusted  my  own  figures 
on  this  distribution.  He  found  that  each  inquiry  was  en- 
titled to  a  credit  of  .181  cents,  and  this  sum  was  added  to 
every  inquiry.  The  total  profit  or  total  loss  on  each  of 
the  publications  whose  records  follow,  therefore  show  a 
cost  of  $1.17  for  follow-up  with  a  credit  of  18  cents  for  its 
share  of  the  unkeyed  cash  returns. 

I  give  the  twenty-three  magazines  that  show  a  profit  in 
the  first  series.  In  the  second  series  appear  the  publica- 
tions that  show  a  loss.  In  the  two  series  each  publication 
appears  alphabetically. 

The  final  results  and  deductions  are  as  follows: 

Mediums  Showing  a  Profit 


Ad. 

Inq. 

Total 

Name 

Space 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns      Cost 

Cost 

Cost          Profit 

Am.  Blacksmith 

42L 

18 

362 

$795.77  $197.06 

$423.54 

$620.60  $234.17 

Appeal  to  Reason 

11.25 

11.25 

Bit  and  Spur 

28  L 

18 

71 

192.73     100.80 

83.07 

183.87       21.71 

Blacksmith  and 

Wheelwright 

22 

104.34 

25.74 

82.58 

An  Exceptional  Business  and  Its  Records    127 


Name 

Space 

Ins 

1.  Inq. 

Returns 

Ad. 
Cost 

Inq. 
Cost 

Total 
Cost 

Profit 

Breeder's  Gazette 

28  L 

29  L 
42  L 

4 
4 

17 

200  L 

5 

2698  $5571.48  $1331.45  $3156.66 

$4488.11  $1571.70 

Co.  Life  in  America 

28  L 

3 

70  L 

2 

175 

376.25 

132.70 

204.75 

337.45 

70.47 

*Farm  Journal 

200  L 

4 

42  L 

7 

12706 

23866.35 

6165.10 

14866.02 

21031.12  5134.78 

Farmers'  Advocate 

42  L 

7 

120 

240.30 

53.76 

140.40 

194.16 

67.86 

Farm  and  Ranch 

42  L 

4 

144 

182.85 

81.92 

121.68 

203 . 60 

5.31 

Good  Literature 

42  L 

94 

340.60 

73.50 

109.98 

193.48 

174.13 

Horseman 

42  L 
200  L 

14 

1 

28  L 

1 

391 

593.37 

202.68 

457.47 

660.15 

3.99 

Household  ]Mag. 

4 

22 .  00 

4.68 

18.04 

^Michigan  Farmer 

200  L 

4 

42  L 

8 

831 

1404.06 

390.16 

972.27 

1362.43 

192.04 

Ohio  Farmer 

200  L 
42  L 

29  L 

957 

1719.10 

665.63 

1119.69 

1785.32 

106.99 

Rider  and  Driver 

3 

10.00 

5.60 

3.51 

9.11 

1.43 

So.  Cultivator 

42  L 

152 

264.65 

31.80 

177.84 

209.64 

57.18 

So.  Ruralist 

42  L 

1 

28  L 

1 

51 

86.70 

35.00 

59.*67 

94.67 

1.26 

20th  Century  Farmer  44  L 

251 

452.45 

110.40 

293.67 

404.07 

93.81 

Veterinarian 

IP 
200  L 
42  L 

1 
3 
3 

29  L 

3 

474 

1280.66 

129.46 

554.58 

684.04 

682.41 

Wallace  Farmer 

200  L 

7 

42  L 

7 

1521 

2960.00 

732.55 

1779,57 

2512.12 

723.18 

Wiltshire's 

8 

96  00 

9.36 

88.08 

*  Woman's  ^Mag. 

1 

10.60 

1.17 

9.52 

*See  Loss  Table 

lor  smaller  spaces. 

Mediums  Showing  a  Loss 

Name 

Space 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Inq.  Cost  Total  Cost    Loss 

Am.  Farm  World 

42  L 

4 

265 

$301.00  $168.00 

$310.05 

$478.05  .$129.09 

Agric.  Epitomist 

42  L 

1 

83 

98.00 

42.11 

97.11 

139.22 

26.20 

Am.  Home  Journal 

4.20 

4.20 

4.20 

Am.  Agriculturist 

42  L 

11 

200  L 

6 

2393 

2966.46 

1017.12 

2799.81 

3816.93 

417.34 

Am.  Issue 

75  L 

1 

51 

15.12 

52.59 

59.67 

112.26 

87.91 

Am.  Journal  of 

Veter'y  Medicine 

200  L 

1 

52 

12.50 

60.84 

73.34 

63.93 

Am.  Poultry  Advoc, 

,  200  L 

2 

42  L 

4 

212 

168.25 

113.60 

248.04 

361.64 

155.02 

Am.  Swineherd 

42  L 

1 

6 

21.00 

7.02 

28.02 

26.93 

Argosy 

42  L 

3 

276 

424.99 

225.00 

322.52 

547.52 

72.58 

Ass.  Sun.  iVIag. 

42  L 

7 

1206 

1120.26 

945  00 

1411.02 

2356.02 

1017.48 

Boyce's  Weekl>- 

29  L 

1 

53 

1.25 

46.40 

62.01 

108.41 

97.57 

Chi.  Inter-Ocean 

42  L 

4 

200  L 

1 

63 

183.25 

128.20 

73.71 

201.91 

7.26 

Christian  Herald 

29  L 

5 

75  L 

3 

648 

456.20 

394.39 

758.16 

1152.55 

579.07 

Collier's  Weekly 

28  L 
42  L 

1 

29  L 

1 

1037 

953.91 

735.44 

1213.29 

1948.73 

807.13 

Dakota  Farmer 

42  L 

(5 

200  L 

3 

496 

390.95 

284 . 34 

580.32 

864.66 

383.94 

Everybody's 

42  L 

1 

179 

241.54 

187.48 

209.43 

396.91 

122.98 

Family  Herald 

42  L 

28  L 

13 
14 

200  L 

7 

3367 

3702.15 

714.00 

3939.39 

4653.39 

341.82 

128 


Analytical  Advertising 


Name 

Space 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad. 

Cost 

Inq. 
Cost 

Total 
Cost 

Loss 

Farm  and  Fireside 

42  L 
200  L 

8 

2 

75  L 

1 

2299  $1630.41$1532.25  $2689.83  $4222.08$2175.56 

Farm  and  Home 

42  L 

7 

200  L 

3 

4239 

4512.76 

1835.60 

4959.63 

6795.23 

1515.32 

Farm  Journal 

28  L 

29  L 

558 

779.56 

529.50 

652.86 

1182.36 

301.91 

Farm  Mag. 

200  L 

1 

42  L 

8 

413 

333.60 

209.80 

482.21 

692.01 

283.66 

Farm  Press 

200  L 

1 

42  L 

3 

359 

450.70 

326.00 

420.03 

746.03 

230.36 

Farm  News 

42  L 

9 

200  L 

1 

1372 

1063.40 

590.15 

1605.24 

2195.39 

883.66 

Farm  Progress 

56  L 
200  L 

1 
7 

42  L 

7 

2222 

2060.60 

1245.06 

2599.74 

3844.80 

1382.02 

29  L 

1 

Farm,  Stock  &  Home200  L 

5 

42  L 

9 

29  L 

1 

1246 

1327.35 

583.80 

1457.82 

2041.62 

488.75 

Farmer,  The 

200  L 

4 

42  L 

4 

1225 

981.55 

580.80 

1473.25 

2054.05 

850.78 

Farmers'  Guide 

42  L 

2 

20 

2.50 

16.80 

23.40 

40.20 

34.08 

Farmers'  Review 

200  L 

42  L 

774 

791.70 

297.06 

905.58 

1202.64 

270.85 

Farmers'  Voice 

42  L 

3 

64 

49.75 

44.10 

74.88 

118.98 

57.65 

Green's  Fruit  Grower  42  L 

5 

155 

111.35 

105.00 

183.35 

288.35 

148.25 

Holland's  Mag 

42  L 

4 

91 

94.73 

52.40 

116.47 

168.87 

57.67 

Home  Friend 

200  L 

1 

42  L 

1 

405 

369.60 

227.60 

473.85 

701.45 

258.55 

Independent 

28  L 

2 

15 

10.00 

17.10 

17.55 

34.65 

21.94 

Iowa  Homestead 

200  L 

5 

42  L 

6 

1463 

1416.30 

731 . 20 

1711.71 

2442.91 

761.81 

Journal  of  Agric. 

42  L 

11 

127 

56.50 

70.56 

148.59 

219.15 

138.67 

Kansas  City  Star 

200  L 
42  L 

5 
11 

29  L 

2 

1798 

1873.00 

760.00 

2103.66 

2863.66 

665 . 23 

Leslie's  Weekly 

75  L 

1 

29  L 

5 

320 

240.70 

178.90 

374.40 

553.30 

254.58 

Literary  Digest 

75  L 
29  L 

28  L 

575 

617.65 

554.14 

672.75 

1226.89 

505.17 

McClure's  Mag. 

50  L 

1 

152 

78.95 

110.06 

177.84 

287.90 

181.44 

Mail  and  Breeze 

200  L 

42  L 

5 

1476 

1730.04 

860.00 

1726.92 

2586.92 

589.73 

Met.  &  Rur.  Home 

42  L 

2 

467 

352.60 

201.60 

546.39 

747.99 

310.87 

Mo.  &  Kans.  Farmer  200  L 

2 

42  L 

5 

392 

227.45 

152.08 

458.64 

610.72 

312.32 

Mo.  Valley  Farmer 

200  L 

42  L 

3137 

3684.65  2173.60 

3670.29 

5843.79 

1591.35 

Nat.  Farmer  and 

Stock  Grower 

42  L 

1 

17.64 

17.64 

17.64 

National  Ripsaw 

42  L 

2 

170 

147.80 

54.60 

198.90 

253.50 

75.93 

Nat.  Sportsman 

28  L 

1 

10 

1.25 

12.50 

11.70 

24 .  20 

21.14 

Nat.  Stockman  and 

200  L 

Farmer 

28  L 

42  L 

1385 

2034.90 

711.38 

1620.45 

2331.83 

46.25 

National  Tribune 

28  L 

1 

1 

16.80 

1.17 

17.97 

17.97 

Nebr.  Farm  Jrnl. 

2 

33 

38.00 

13.44 

38.61 

52.05 

8.08 

N.  E.  Homestead 

200  L 

42  L 

674 

1044.55 

861.74 

788.58 

1650.32 

483.78 

N.  W.  Agriculturist 

200  L 
42  L 

8 
3 

29  L 

1 

1249 

1097.00 

689.75 

1461.33 

2151.08 

828.02 

Orange  Judd  Farmer  200  L 

42  L 

2206 

2686.15 

934.59 

2581.02 

3515.61 

430.18 

All  Exceptional  Business  and  Its  Records    129 


Name 

Outdoor  Life 
Outlook 
Penn.  Grit 


Peoples'  Home  Jrnl. 
Peoples'  Pop.  Mo. 
Pittsburg  Dispatch 
Popular  Mechanics 
Practical  Farming 

Prairie  Farmer 

Republic 

R.  F.  D.  News 

Rural  New  Yorker 
Rural  Weekly 

Saturday  Blade 

Scientific  Amer. 
Sovereign  Visitor 
Success 
Successful  Farming 


Team  Owners'  Rev. 
To-Day's  Mag. 
Toledo  Blade 

Town  &  Co.  Life 
Tribune  Farmer 
Uncle  Remus'  Mag. 
Up-to-Date  Farm'g 

Weekly  Dispatch 


Western  Home  Mo 

Wichita  Eagle 
Wisconsin  Agric 

Wisconsin  Farmer 

Woman's  Farm  Jnl. 

Woman's  World 
Youth's  Comp 


Space     Ins. 

28  L 

28  L 
200  L 
42  L 

29  L 
42  L 
42  L 
42  L 


Inq.     Returns      Cost 


Loss 


200  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 
42  L 
200  L 
200  L 
42  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 

28  L 
42  L 

200  L 
42  L 

29  L 
42  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 
28  L 
42  L 

200  L 
42  L 
200  L 
80  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 
200  L 
200  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 
200  L 
42  L 

42  L 
75  L 

28  L 


Inq.  Total 

Cost  Cost 

15     $  10.00  $     9.80     $  17.55  $27.35  $14.64 

193       225.20     201.00       225.81  426.81     166.68 


1779 
619 

23 
498 

17 

247 
338 


444 
1581 


1257.02  1008.60 

461.05  453.60 

21.60  42.00 

419.10  546.00 

10.60 

297.85  140.70 

369.75  149.16 

1216.35  574.00 

481.43  193.00 

1519.10  634.40 


2081.43  3090.03  1511.02 

724.23  1177.83  604.75 

26.91  68.91       43.15 

582.66  1128.66  619.43 

19.89  19.89    6.22 

288.99  429.69   87.14 

395.46  544.62  113.70 

2186.73  2760.73  1232.10 

519.48  712.48  150.69 

1849.77  2484.17  678.91 


552   288.60  192.00   645.84   837.84  449.33 
3193  2089.97  1683.20  3735.81  5419.01  2751.11 


4 
541 

468 


10.00  21.00 
509.05  252.00 
453.46  234.70 


4.68 
632.97 
547.56 


25 .68  14 . 96 
884.97  278.00 
782.26  244.10 


7055  9364.34  3790.50  8254.35  12044.85  1403.56 

3  36.00     3.51    39.51   38.97 

297   326.10  105.00   347.49   452.49   72.64 


9  1305  1196.68  489.00  1526.85  2015.85  582.97 


2 
107    89.00 
7     3.00 


5.60 
62.74 


2.34 

125.19 

8.19 


7.94    7.57 

187.93   79.58 

8.19    3.93 


857   540.20  413.40  1002.69  1416.09  720.78 


1673   868.65  373.19  1957.41  2330.60  1159.14 


1227  1231.21  185.72  1435.59  1621.31  168.02 
91    35.00   20.00   106.47   126.47   75.00 


1161  1221.95  452.16  1358.37  1810.53  378.44 
771   608.25  343.62   902.07  1245.69  497.89 


290   380.10  153.00   393.30   546.30  113.71 
1542   968.76  710.00  1804.14  2514.14  1266.28 


2150  2028.13  1796.50  2515.50  4312.00  1894.72 


A  number  of  conflicting  features  enter  into  any  attempt 
to  analyze  these  records.  An  attempt  was  made  to  show 
as  accurately  as  possible  the  number  of  insertions  that 
were  placed  in  each  publication,  also  to  show  the  number 
of  times  each  different  sized  copy  appeared.     This  was 


130.  Analytical  Advertising 

difficult  to  determine,  and  the  information  recorded  is 
only  approximately  accurate  relative  to  these  two  features. 

It  will  also  be  noted  that  a  number  of  showings  are  listed 
with  no  particulars  regarding  the  cost  of  the  advertising, 
the  number  of  times  run,  or  the  amount  paid  for  the  space. 
Such  cases  are  due  to  copy  that  appeared  prior  to  October, 
1909,  of  which  no  record  was  accurately  kept.  The  same 
condition  is  responsible  for  a  large  proportion  of  the  cash 
returns,  as  orders  resulted  from  old  advertising  that  ap- 
peared before  the  present  record  was  prepared. 

Owing  to  the  system  of  keying  employed,  it  was  found 
impossible  to  make  other  than  a  guess  as  to  the  relative 
pulling  power  of  different  sized  space,  as  every  piece  of  copy 
that  appeared  in  any  one  publication  was  keyed  the  same. 
This  prevented  accurate  analysis  of  the  important  prob- 
lem of  space  values. 

This  table  of  advertising  results  doubtless  will  be  found 
interesting  to  many  farm  paper  advertisers,  and  the  rec- 
ords are  shown  for  comparison  with  those  of  other  ad- 
vertisers employing  the  same  class  of  mediums,  rather 
than  for  any  definite  scientific  value  they  may  have  from 
an  analytical  standpoint. 


A  Women's  Proposition 

Having  in  my  possession  a  set  of  records  on  an  adver- 
tised household  machine,  I  propose  pubhshing  them  for 
the  possible  interest  the  various  returns  may  have  for 
other  advertisers.  An  explanation  relative  to  their 
incompleteness,  is  at  the  same  time  an  apology  for  their 
lack  of  scientific  value. 

This  business  manufactured  a  machine  which  was 
amply  protected  by  a  basic  patent.  It  appealed,  in  the 
final  analysis,  entirely  to  women,  as  they  alone  used  the 
machine  after  its  purchase.  The  business  had  changed 
hands  a  number  of  times  and  a  very  large  number  of  sales 
plans  had  been  tried  by  the  different  managements.  At 
the  time  I  became  interested  in  its  possibilities  the 
machine  was  being  sold  on  a  cash  in  advance  plan,  with 
a  guarantee  of  refund  in  thirty  days  in  the  event  of  any 
dissatisfaction. 

The  director  of  its  affairs  was  a  very  busy  man,  who 
frankly  acknowledged  that  he  needed  the  help  of  someone 
experienced  in  mail  order  procedure.  The  demands  of 
his  own  growing  business  precluded  a  proper  attention 
to  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  the  machine,  which  he  was 
conducting  practically  as  a  side  line  to  his  other  affairs. 
As  the  business  had  absolutely  no  real  competition,  and 
its  product  presented  aspects  of  real  merit  not  to  be 
denied,  I  was  extremely  interested  in  the  problem  of 
developing  it  into  an  extensive  mail  order  business. 

At  the  time  it  was  turned  over  to  me,  sales  were  being 
made  through  a  regular  follow-up  system  of  letters. 
Magazine  advertising  was  being  carried,  and  inquiries 
secured  through  this  advertising  came  from  possible  con- 
sumers, some  agents  and  some  dealers.  The  manage- 
ment, however,  had  never  kept  either  accurate  or  depend- 
able records,  and  in  taking  charge  of  affairs  I  was  con- 
fronted by  a  number  of  problems  of  the  most  baffling 
character. 

The  expenditures  of  the  company  had  been  somewhat 
extensive,  and  a  very  large  number  of  different  publica- 
tions had  been  used.     Inquiries  were  coming  in  every 

131 


132  Analytical  Advertising 

day  in  respectable  numbers,  and  quite  a  little  foreign 
business  was  constantly  secured  through  copy  in  several 
export  papers.  The  regular  magazine  advertising  also 
developed  inquiries  from  foreign  countries. 

The  first  problem  to  be  settled  was  a  definite  sales  plan, 
as  the  one  in  operation  sold  indiscriminately  to  consumer, 
dealer  and  agent,  with  no  definite  aim  as  to  an  ultimate 
distribution  that  would  confine  the  sales  to  either  one  of 
these  three  channels.  My  first  decision  was  to  eliminate 
all  agent  business.  The  records  of  previous  business  be- 
ing most  incomplete,  I  could  only  guess  as  to  the  volume 
that  had  been  done  through  agents.  In  order  to  get 
some  line  on  the  actual  conditions  I  was  forced  to  run  the 
business  for  some  little  time  on  the  old  plan  to  secure 
some  definite  idea  of  the  exact  proportion  of  sales  coming 
from  each  of  the  three  possible  channels.  During  this  time 
sales  were  made  to  a  number  of  agents.  As  a  rule,  how- 
ever, requests  for  agents'  terms  usually  resulted  in  the 
sale  of  but  a  single  machine  at  a  greatly  reduced  price. 
The  machine  itself  was  quite  heavy  and  exceedingly 
bulky,  and  I  could  not  believe  that  the  ordinary  agent 
would  find  the  sale  of  the  device  an  easy  one.  The  diffi- 
culties of  demonstration  were  evident. 

In  taking  hold  of  the  advertising  I  discovered  that  a 
great  many  pieces  of  copy  had  been  used,  and  that  a  large 
number  of  key  numbers  had  been  employed.  My  first, 
and  practically  only  orders,  were  placed  before  the  real 
condition  of  record  keeping  disclosed  itself.  I  therefore 
made  the  mistake  of  using  the  same  old  key  numbers  in 
each  publication.  In  attempting  to  run  down  previous 
records  I  discovered  that  no  record  had  been  kept  of  the 
sizes  of  space  used,  or  the  amounts  paid  for  them.  Neither 
could  I  discover  the  number  of  times  any  showing  had 
been  repeated,  or  the  exact  number  of  replies  or  orders 
secured.  In  the  records  that  follow  it  will  therefore  be 
impossible  to  gain  any  definite  idea  of  the  value  of  any 
medium,  as  the  price  paid  for  each  is  usually  for  the  last 
irsertion  only,  for  which  I  paid,  and  of  which  I  kept  record. 
The  number  of  unkeyed  inquiries  is  also  a  most  confusing 
element,  as  I  found  numbers  of  publications  had  been 
used  with  no  keys  at  all.     No  letter  record  had  ever  been 


A  Women's  Proposition 


133 


thought  of,  and  in  another  chapter  I  give  the  results  of 
the  letter  record  that  was  kept  during  the  nine  months  I 
operated   the   business. 

In  view  of  the  facts  given  above  it  will  be  readily  under- 
stood that  the  records  are  valueless  from  any  dependable 
standpoint.  I  reproduce  them  simply  to  give  a  line  on 
various  mediums,  that  may  prove  interesting  to  some,  in 
spite  of  their  meager  and  confusing  character. 

Practically  all  of  the  copy  was  21  lines  display,  although 
pages  were  used  in  some  instances,  and  a  few  quarter 
pages. 

The  record  follows : 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Sales  Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Amer.  Club  Woman 

1911 

3 

2 

15 

$30 . 00 

$240.00 

Beautiful  Homes 

1910 
1911 

6 

13 

2 

75.00 

Boston  Cooking  School 

1910 

2 

20 

30.00 

Magazine 

1911 

1 

2 

15.00 

Business  Service 

1910 

6 

11 

160 

160.00 

130.00 

1911 

1 

2 

15 

27.50 

40.00 

Chautauquan 

1910 

1 

3 

15.00 

12.50 

1911 

3 

16 

37.50 

Child  Lore 

1911 

1 

1 

6 

12.50 

45.00 

Ch.  End.  World 

1910 
1911 

2 

2 

19 

7 

25.00 

29.64 

Christian  Herald 

1910 
1911 

1 

4 

88 

2 

57.50 

25.46 

Ch.  Work  &  Evang. 

1910 
1911 

2 

13 
1 

21.60 

Circle 

1910 

1 

3 

17 

42.00 

14.96 

Collier's  Weekly 

1910 

2 

29 

248 

442.94 

105.00 

1911 

8 

22 

145.00 

Columbian 

1910 
1911 

3 

7 

142 
3 

147.50 

225.00 

Continent 

1910 
1911 

1 

3 

6 
6 

42.50 

5.25 

Cosmopolitan 

1910 

1 

16 

165 

219.75 

56.00 

1911 

12 

37 

150.00 

Delineator 

1910 
1911 

1 

27 

132 
15 

397.50 
23.00 

99.75 

Designer 

1910 

1 

4 

50 

60.00 

29.93 

1911 

2 

7 

30.00 

Everybody's 

1910 

1 

12 

138 

177.50 

59.37 

1911 

2 

11 

40.00 

Farm  &  R.  E.  Journal 

1910 

1 

2 

8.40 

134 


Analytical  Advertising 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Sales 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Good  Housekeeping 

1910 

38 

101 

$594.50 

1911 

9 

15 

113.00 

Harper's  Weekly 

1910 

5 

26 

75.00 

Harper's  Bazaar 

1910 

2 

20 

69 

305 . 75 

$39.90 

1911 

1 

10 

30.00 

Housekeeper 

1010 
1911 

1 

1 

37 
3 

12.50 

31.50 

Independent 

1911 

1 

3 

22 

42.50 

14.00 

King's  Business 

1911 

2 

2 

10.00 

Ladies  Home  Journal 

1910 

1 

72 

420 

1042.50 

147.00 

1911 

27 

123 

385.00 

La  FoUette's 

1910 

2 

15 

92 

228.00 

20.00 

1911 

1 

2 

55 

25.00 

Literary  Digest 

1910 

1 

9 

125 

132.50 

26.25 

1911 

1 

3 

15.00 

McCall's  Mag. 

1910 
1911 

5 

15 

2 

74.90 
15.00 

Mother's  Mag. 

1910 
1911 

1 

8 

77 
2 

115.00 

24.94 

National  Mag. 

1910 

1 

2 

6 

27.50 

50.00 

Naturopath 

1910 
1911 

2 

4 

20.50 

20.00 

New  Idea 

1910 
1911 

1 

3 

56 

2 

40.00 

19.95 

Pacific  Mo. 

1910 

3 

Pictorial  Review 

1910 

1 

12 

84 

114.00 

39.90 

1911 

3 

7 

32.50 

Popular  Electricity 

1910 

1 

1 

52 

12.50 

14.00 

1911 

1 

6 

15.00 

Red  Book 

1910 

3 

Sat.  Eve.  Post 

1910 

1 

54 

244 

812.00 

105.00 

1911 

5 

35 

62.50 

School  Progress 

1910 

3 

1 

25 

12.50 

60.00 

1911 

2 

7 

30.00 

Success 

1910 
1911 

4 

5 

2 

72.00 

S.  S.  Times 

1910 
1911 

3 

1 

14 

209 
17 

204 . 75 

31.92 

Sunset 

1910 
1911 

1 

5 

15.00 

To-Day's  Mag. 

1910 
1911 

13 

2 

20th  Cent.  Mag. 

1910 

3 

2 

18 

35.00 

21.00 

1911 

1 

7 

15.00 

Uncle  Remus's 

1910 
1911 

1 

2 

23 
3 

30.00 

21.00 

Union  Signal 

1910 

2 

4 

30.00 

Western  Mo. 

1910 
1911 

3 

1 

1 

3 

15.00 
20.00 

22.50 

A  Women's  Proposition  135 

Name  Yr.       Ins.  Sales  Inq.    Returns    Ad.  Cost 

Woman's  Home  Com.        1910       1         36     183     $540.25       $73.50 


1911 

9 

203.00 

Woman's  Mag. 

1910 

5 

39 

77.11 

47.88 

Woman's  Nat.  Daily 

1910       1 

2 

9 

30.00 

42.00 

1911 

1 

1 

17.50 

Unkeyed 

1910 

60 

261 

920.25 

1911 

37 

124 

625.50 

Nine  months'  experience  with  this  proposition 
occasioned  a  number  of  general  deductions  relative  to 
selling  to  women,  that  are  not  reflected  by  the  records 
in  any  way.  My  previous  experience  having  been  re- 
stricted to  selling  men,  I  anticipated  much  greater 
difficulties  than  those  experienced. 

I  discovered  that  there  is  no  especial  difference  in 
selling  itself,  although  the  attitude  of  a  woman  customer 
after  purchase  is  likely  to  be  decidedly  different  than  that 
of  a  man.  The  machine  having  been  purchased  on  trial 
would  often  be  returned  by  a  woman  with  no  advices 
whatever,  except  a  request  for  a  return  of  the  purchase 
price.  This  request  would  often  be  accompanied  by 
severe  reproaches  relative  to  our  delinquency,  an  investi- 
gation of  which  would  disclose  the  return  of  merchandise 
weeks  before.  In  all  such  cases  the  returned  goods 
would  be  found  at  freight  houses  with  no  identification 
marks,  to  show  its  consignor.  Dozens  of  machines  would 
be  returned  without  notice  to  us,  and  rarely  with  bills 
of  lading.  Attempts  on  our  part  to  discover  the  cause 
of  dissatisfaction  often  resulted  in  absolutely  no  informa- 
tion of  an  illuminating  character.  As  a  rule  we  were 
simply  advised  that  they  had  tried  the  device  and  were 
returning  the  machine.  Where  the  purchaser  was  a  man 
he  would  almost  invariably  write  for  fuller  instructions, 
definitely  outline  his  difficulties,  or  ask  for  shipping  in- 
structions. 

It  was  also  learned  that  women  are  less  influenced, 
directly,  by  testimonials.  A  business  man  is  prone  to 
take  at  its  face  value  the  recommendation  of  a  good 
testimonial.  A  woman  wishes  to  interview  users,  rather 
than  read  what  some  purchaser  says  about  your  product. 
This  principle  is  fully  reahzed  by  the  Kalamazoo  Stove 


136  Analytical  Advertising 

Co.,  which  pubHshes  in  its  catalogue  the  name  of  a  satis- 
fied user  in  ahiiost  every  town  in  the  country.  A  woman 
will  go  out  of  her  way  to  call  on  a  purchaser  of  an  adver- 
tised product,  in  order  to  satisfy  herself,  at  first  hand, 
that  your  testimonials  are  genuine  and  of  a  dependable 
character. 

Descriptions,  in  selhng  to  women,  must  be  pains- 
takingly accurate.  I  have  known  them  to  compare 
merchandise  with  catalogue  descriptions,  and  return 
goods  that  varied  a  fraction  of  an  inch  from  the  advertised 
description.  Their  decisions  and  satisfaction  depend, 
in  many  cases,  more  on  a  faithful  description  than  on 
usefulness  or  material  and  workmanship. 


A  Two -Inch  Copy  Record 

This  chapter  will  be  devoted  to  a  record  of  results, 
furnished  with  the  distinct  understanding  that  no  hint 
of  the  advertiser's  identity  be  given.  I  am  sorry  that 
this  restriction  makes  it  necessary  to  withhold  a  full  de- 
scription of  the  proposition,  and  also  prevents  showing 
the  copy  which  resulted  in  the  records  that  are  to  follow. 

A  general  description  of  the  advertising  must  take 
the  place  of  specific  details,  for  the  advertisement,  as 
well  as  the  advertiser,  is  so  well  known  as  to  make 
some  disguise  necessary. 

The  copy  used  consisted  in  two-inch,  magazine  size, 
space.  This  copy  is  only  one  of  a  large  number  used 
by  the  advertiser,  and  the  analysis  to  be  given  covers  a 
record  of  this  size  in  detail.  The  goods  consisted  in  a 
combination  of  merchandise  selling  for  slightly  less  than 
$30.00.  A  small  payment  with  order  secured  the  goods, 
with  regular  monthly  installments  for  the  balance  cov- 
ering a  period  of  nine  months.  Most  of  the  advertising 
was  placed  at  the  old  "publishers'  rates,"  which  accounts 
for  an  advertising  cost  somewhat  less  than  the  prevailing 
price  for  space.  Had  the  regular  rates  been  paid,  prac- 
tically all  of  the  results  would  have  shown  a  loss. 

The  copy  was  "inquiry  copy."  Each  inquiry  was  fol- 
lowed up  under  one-cent  postage  with  a  series  of  letters 
to  the  number  of  five.  Each  piece  of  copy  was  keyed 
differently  every  month,  giving  opportunity  for  analysis 
on  each  separate  piece  of  copy  run  in  any  publication. 
Eighteen  publications  were  tried  with  more  or  less  con- 
sistency. The  record  is  given  in  alphabetical  order  as 
to  publications,  and  is   followed  by  a  recapitulation. 

AMERICAN  MACHINIST 

Cost  of  No.  In-  Cost  per     No.       %  of  Orders 

Space  quiries   Inquiry    Orders    to  Inquiries 

January  14,  '09            $8.50  16       $    .53            0 

January  21,  '09              8.50  6          1.42           0 

January  28,  '09              8.50  20            .42            0 

February  4,  '09            20.00  29            .69            2      .069  (>^  Page) 

February  11, '09           8.50  13            .66           1      .076 

February  18, '09           8.50  10            .85           0 

137 


138  Analytical  Advertising 

AMERICAN  MACHINIST— Continued 


February  25,  '09 
March  4,  '09 
March  11,  '09 
March  18,  '09 
March  25,  '09 
April  1,  '09 
April  8,  '09 
April  15,  '09 
April  22,  '09 


Cost  of 
Space 

$  8.50 
20.00 
8.50 
8.50 
8.50 
8.50 
8.50 
8.50 
8.50 


No.  In-   Cost  per     No. 
quiries   Inquiry  Orders 


%  of  Orders 
to  Inquiries 


27 
7 

13 
8 

14 
7 

13 

12 


SI.  07 
.74 

1.21 
.66 

1.07 
.61 

1.21 
.66 
.71 


.038  (>i  Page) 


.076 


May,  '09 
June,  '09 
July,  '09 
September,  '09 
October  '09 
November,  '09 
October,  '10 
November  and 
December,  '10 
January,  '11 
February,  '11 
March,  '11 
April,  '11 
May,  '11 
June,  '11 
July,  '11 
August,  '11 


$150.50         213       $0.71  5 

BOOKKEEPER 

Cost  of     No.  In-  Cost  per     No. 
quiries   Inquiry  Orders 


Space 

$15.42 
15.42 
15.42 
18.22 
12.31 
12.31 
14.55 

29.10 
14.55 
14.55 
14.55 
14.55 
14.55 
14.55 
14.55 
14.55 


26 
62 
7 
54 
33 
28 


77 
44 
39 
79 
39 
23 
27 
35 
33 


$0.64 
.25 
2.20 
.34 
.37 
.44 
.21 

.38 
.33 
.37 
.18 
.37 
.63 
.54 
.41 
.44 


.059 


%  of  Orders 
to  Inquiries 

.154 
.065 
.143 
.037 
.030 
.250 
.058 

.039 


013 


.037 
.057 


$249.15         675       $0.37         30  .044 

COLLIER'S 

Cost  of    No.  In-   Cost  per    No.  %  of  Orders 

Space      quiries  Inquiry    Orders  to  Inquiries 


October  16,  '09 

$45.12 

123 

$0.37 

8 

.065 

November  20,  '09 

45.12 

154 

.29 

10 

.065 

December  18,  '09 

45.12 

137 

.33 

7 

.051 

January,  15  '10 

45.12 

163 

.28 

7 

.043 

February  19,  '10 

45.12 

122 

.37 

0 

March  19,  '10 

45.12 

74 

.61 

5 

.068 

April  16,  '10 

45.12 

109 

.41 

6 

.055 

May  21,  '10 

45.14 

140 

.32 

8 

.057 

$360.98       1022       $0.35         51 


.05 


A  Two-Inch  Copy  Record 


139 


HARPER'S  WEEKLY 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

January  30,  '09 

$22.50 

14 

$1.61 

1 

.071 

February  13,  '09 

22.50 

7 

3.22 

0 

February  27,  '09 

22.50 

19 

1.18 

1 

.053 

March  13,  '09 

22.50 

9 

2.50 

0 

March  27,  '09 

22.50 

14 

1.61 

1 

.071 

April  10,  '09 

22.50 

13 

1.73 

1 

.077 

April  24,  '09 

22.50 

9 

2.50 

1 

.111 

May  8,  '09 

22.50 

6 

3.75 

0 

May  22,  '09 

22.50 

17 

1.32 

0 

June  5,  '09 

22.50 

9 

2.50 

0 

$225.00         117         $1.92 


.043 


LIFE 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

February  4,  '09 

$18.00 

7 

$2.57 

2 

.287 

February  18,  '09 

18.00 

27 

.66 

2 

.074 

March  4,  '09 

18.00 

5 

3.60 

0 

March  18,  '09 

18.00 

12 

1.50 

0 

April  1,  '09 

18.00 

7 

2.57 

1 

.143 

April  15,  '09 

21.00 

11 

1.91 

0 

April  29,  '09 

21.00 

18 

1.17 

1 

.056 

May  13,  '09 

21.00 

9 

2.33 

0 

May  27,  '09 

21.00 

6 

3.50 

2 

.333 

June  10,  '09 

21.00 

13 

1.61 

1 

.077 

June  24,  '09 

21.00 

15 

1.40 

0 

July  8,  '09 

21.00 

16 

1.31 

1 

.131 

July  22,  '09 

21.00 

13 

1.61 

0 

August  5,  '09 

21.00 

41 

.51 

1 

.024 

August  19,  '09 

21.00 

16 

1.31 

2 

.123 

September  16,  '09 

21.00 

25 

.84 

1 

.040 

September  30,  '09 

21.00 

13 

1.61 

0 

October  14..  '09 

21.00 

19 

1.11 

1 

.053 

$363.00 


273 


$1.33 


15 


.055 


LITERARY  DIGEST 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

October  9, '09          $20.31 

78 

$  0.26 

1 

.013 

November  13,  '09     20.31 

55 

.37 

3 

.054 

December  11,  '09      20.31 

31 

.66 

1 

.032 

December  25,  '09      20.31 

2 

10.15 

0 

January  8,  '10           20.31 

52 

.39 

1 

.019 

140 


Analytical  Advertising 


LITERARY  DIGEST— Continued 

Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

% 

of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to 

Inquiries 

February,  '10 

$20.31 

57 

$0.38 

2 

.035 

March  12,  '10 

28.21 

36 

.78 

1 

.025 

April  9,  '10 

28.21 

17 

1.66 

1 

.069 

May  14,  '10 

28.21 

15 

1.88 

1 

.066 

$206.49 


343         $9 . 60 


.032 


MERCHANT  TRADE  JOURNAL 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

May,  '09 

$5.03 

7 

$0.72 

0 

June  ,'09 

5.03 

14 

.36 

1 

.071 

October,  '09 

5.03 

12 

.42 

1 

.083 

November,  '09 

5.03 

20 

.25 

2 

.100 

December,  '09 

5.03 

24 

.21 

0 

January,  '10 

5.03 

12 

.42 

0 

, 

February,  '10 

5.03 

35 

.14 

2 

.057 

March,  '10 

5.03 

31 

.16 

1 

.032 

April,  '10 

5.03 

32 

.16 

1 

.031 

May,  '10 

5.03 

17 

.30 

1 

.059 

June,  '10 

5.03 

14 

.36 

1 

.071 

$55.33 


218 


$0.24 


10 


045 


N.  Y.  MAGAZINE  OF  MYSTERIES 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

October,  1908 

$23.98 

63 

$0.38 

5 

.079 

March,  1909 

23.98 

142 

.17 

2 

.014 

April,  1909 

23.98 

175 

.14 

6 

.034 

May,  1909 

23.98 

129 

.19 

5 

.038 

June,  1909 

23.98 

110 

619 

.22 

5 
23 

.045 

$119.90 

$0.19 

.037 

OUTING 

Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

March,  1909 

$21.60 

12 

$1.80 

0 

April,  1909 

21.60 

32 

.68 

1 

.031 

May,  1909 

21.60 

10 

2.16 

0 

$64 . 80 


$1.20 


018 


A  Two-Inch  Copy  Record 


141 


OBERMAYER  BULLETIN 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

January,  1909 

$4 .  80 

29 

$0.16 

0 

March,  1909 

4.80 

19 

.25 

1 

.  052 

May,  1909 

4.80 

14 

.34 

0 

July,  1909 

4.80 

16 

.30 

2 

.125 

September,  1909 

4.80 

16 

.30 

0 

January,  1910 

4.80 

7 

.69 

0 

February,  1910 

4.80 

15 

.32 

0 

May,  1910 

4.80 

5 

.96 

1 

.200 

$38.40 


121 


$0.32 


.033 


POPULAR  MECHANICS 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

August,  1910       $22.86 

144 

$0.16 

9 

.062 

September,  1910   22.86 

117 

.20 

6 

.051 

November,  1910   31.98 

118 

.27 

7 

.059 

December,  1910    31.98 

165 

.19 

11 

.066 

January,  1911        31.98 

152 

.21 

6 

.039 

February,  1911      31.98 

194 

.16 

9 

.046 

March,  1911           31.98 

164 

.20 

3 

.018 

April,  1911             31.98 

100 

.03 

4 

.04 

May,  1911              31.98 

107 

.30 

1 

.009 

June,  1911              31.98 

105 

.30 

3 

.029 

July,  1911               31.98 

91 

.35 

1 

.011 

August,  1911          31.98 

90 

.36 

3 

.011 

September,  1911   31.98 

73 
1620 

.44 

$0.24 

1 
64 

.013 

$397 . 50 

.039 

POPULAR  TRIO 


Cost  of 

No.   In- 

Cost per 

No. 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry    ' 

Orde 

December,  1909  $36.23 

106 

$0.34 

9 

January,  1910        56.94 

139 

.41 

10 

February,  1910      56.94 

179 

.32 

12 

March,  1910           56.94 

149 

.38 

7 

April,  1910             56.94 

102 

.56 

7 

May,  1910              56.94 

110 

.52 

8 

June,  1910             56.94 

118 

.48 

7 

$377.87 


903 


$0.42 


60 


%  of  Orders 
to  Inquiries 
.084 
.072 
.067 
.047 
.067 
.072 
.059 

.066 


142 


Analytical  Advertising 


POWER 

Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

January  5,  '09 

$11.25 

50 

$0.22 

3 

.06 

January  12,  '09 

11.25 

28 

.40 

0 

January  19,  '09 

11.25 

17 

.66 

0 

January  26,  '09 

11.25 

32 

.35 

1 

.031 

February  2,  '09 

11.25 

28 

.40 

1 

.35 

February  9,  09 

11.25 

32 

.35 

2 

.062 

February  16,  '09 

11.25 

26 

.43 

2 

.076 

February  23,  '09 

11.25 

19 

.59 

1 

.52 

March  2,  '09 

11.25 

28 

.40 

0 

March  9,'09 

11.25 

32 

.35 

0 

March  16,  '09 

11.25 

10 

1.12 

0 

March  23,  '09 

11.25 

16 

.70 

0 

March  30,  '09 

11.25 

26 

.43 

2 

.076 

April  6,  '09 

11.25 

21 

.54 

1 

.047 

April  13,  '09 

11.25 

22 

.51 

2 

.09 

April  20,  '09 

11.25 

20 

.56 

0 

April  27,  '09 

11.25 

25 

.45 

0 

May  4,  '09 

11.25 

13 

.87 

0 

May  18,  '09 

11.25 

11 

1.02 

1 

.09 

June  1,  '09 

14.07 

16 

.88 

0 

June  15,  '09 

14.07 

11 

1.28 

2 

.182 

July  6,  '09 

14.07 

10 

1.41 

0 

July  20,  '09 

14.07 

26 

.54 

2 

.077 

August  3,  '09 

14.07 

13 

1.08 

0 

August  17,  '09 

14.07 

12 

1.17 

0 

' 

September  7,  '09 

14.07 

20 

.70 

0 

September  21,  '09 

14.07 

8 

1.76 

0 

October  5.  '09 

14.07 

15 

.94 

0 

October  19,  '09 

14.07 

22 

.64 

0 

November  2,  '09 

14.07 

10 

1.41 

0 

November  16,  '09 

14.07 

18 

.78 

1 

.055 

December  7,  '09 

14.07 

22 

.64 

0 

December  21,  '09 

14.07 

15 

.94 

0 

January  18,  '10 

14.07 

28 

.50 

2 

.71 

$424.70 


702 


$0.61 


23 


033 


PRINTERS'  INK 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

January  20,  '09 

$7.46 

10 

$0.74 

0 

February  4,  '09 

7.46 

12 

.62 

0 

February  18,  '09 

7.46 

4 

1.86 

1 

.25 

March  3,  '09 

7.46 

11 

.68 

1 

.09 

March  17,  '09 

7.46 

4 

1.86 

0 

March  31,  '09 

7.46 

4 

1.86 

0 

A  Two-Inch  Copy  Record 


143 


Cost  of 

No.  In 

■   Cost  per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders  to  Inquiries 

April  7,  '09 

$7.46 

12 

$0.62 

0 

May  5,  '09 

7.46 

15 

.50 

1 

.066 

June  2,  '09 

7.46 

7 

1.06 

0 

July  7,  '09 

7.46 

1 

7.46 

0 

August  4,  '09 

7.46 

2 

3.73 

0 

September  1,  '09 

7.46 

1 

7.46 

0 

September  15,  '09 

7.46 

3 

2.48 

0 

September  29,  '09 

7.46 

6 

1.24 

0 

November  3,  '09 

7.46 

6 
98 

1.24 

$1.14 

0 
3 

$111.90 

.031 

PROGRESS 

Cost  of   No.  In- 

Cost  per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry   ( 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

October,  '09 

$5.37 

40 

$0.13 

7 

.165 

November,  '09 

5.37 

41 

.13 

1 

.024 

December,  '09 

5.37 

27 

.20 

0 

January,  '10 

5.37 

40 

.13 

1 

.025 

February,  '10 

5.37 

7 

.     .77 

0 

March,  '10 

5.37 

18 

.29 

1 

.055 

April,  '10 

5.37 

32 

.17 

1 

.031 

May,  '10 

5.37 

58 

.09 

2 

.034 

June,  '10 

5.37 

62 
325 

.08>^ 
$0.15 

3 
16 

.048 

$48 . 33 

.049 

SATURDAY  EVENING  POST 

Cost  of   No.  In- 

Cost  per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry   Orders 

to  Inquiries 

March  27,  '09 

$71.25 

366 

$0.19 

17 

.046 

April  3 

71.25 

185 

.38 

6 

.032 

April  10 

71.25 

239 

.29 

20 

.083 

April  24 

71.25 

270 

.26 

12 

.044 

May  8 

71.25 

133 

.53 

7 

.052 

May  15 

71.25 

154 

.46 

9 

.058 

May  22 

71.25 

238 

.30 

16 

.067 

May  29 

71.25 

171 

.41 

7 

.040 

June  5 

71.25 

252 

.28 

16 

.063 

June  26, 

71.25 

258 

.27 

20 

.077 

July  3 

71.25 

222 

.32 

13 

.058 

July  31 

71.25 

209 

.34 

12 

.057 

Aug.  7 

71.25 

290 

.24 

18 

.062 

Aug.  28 

71.25 

236 

.30 

11 

.046 

Sept.  4 

71.25 

174 

.40 

7 

.040 

Sept.  11 

71 .  25 

190 

.37 

8 

.042 

144 


Analytical  Advertising 


SATURDAY  EVENING 

POST— 

Continued 

Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

i  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

Sept.  18 

$  71.25 

228 

$0.31 

15 

.065 

Sept.  25 

71.25 

198 

.37 

12 

.060 

Oct.  2 

71.25 

189 

.37 

9 

.047 

Oct.  16 

114.00 

182 

.62 

7 

.038 

Oct.  23 

114.00 

153 

.74 

11 

.071 

Oct.  30 

114.00 

243 

.46 

13 

.053 

Nov.  6 

114.00 

193 

.58 

18 

.093 

Nov.  13 

114.00 

208 

.54 

13 

.062 

Nov.  27 

114.00 

269 

.42 

8 

.029 

Dec.  11 

114.00 

280 

.40 

17 

.060 

Dec.  25 

114.00 

309 

.36 

15 

.048 

Jan.  8,  '10 

142.50 

479 

.29 

25 

.052 

Jan.  22 

142.50 

380 

.37 

25 

.066 

Feb.  5 

142.50 

357 

.39 

16 

.044 

Feb.  19 

142.50 

570 

.25 

44 

.077 

Mar.  5 

142.50 

262 

.54 

14 

.053 

Apr.  2 

142.50 

347 

.41 

26 

.074 

May  7 

142.50 

312 

.45 

11 

.035 

June  4 

142.50 

244 

.58 

13 

.053 

$3405.75 

8890 

$0.38 

511 

.057 

SUCCESS 

Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

August,  1909 

$45 . 00 

143 

$0.31 

10 

.069 

September, 

1909 

45.00 

183 

.24 

12 

.065 

October,  1909 

45.00 

166 

.27 

10 

.060 

November, 

1909 

45.00 

172 

.26 

8 

.046 

December, 

1909 

45.00 

143 

.31 

12 

.083 

January,  1910 

45.00 

182 

.24 

9 

.049 

February,  : 

1910 

45.00 

215 

.20 

17 

.079 

March,  1910 

45.00 

104 

.43 

5 

.048 

June,  1910 

45.00 

117 

.38 

3 

.025 

November, 

1910 

45.00 

90 

.50 

3 

.033 

December, 

1910 

45.00 

124 

.36 

4 

.031 

April,  1911 

45.00 

92 

.48 

2 

.021 

May,  1911 

45.00 

66 

.68 

0 

June,  1911 

45.00 

59 

.76 

1 

.016 

September, 

1911 

45.00 

91 
1947 

.48 
$0.35 

1 

97 

.011 

$675.00 

.050 

SYSTEM 

Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

April,  '09 

$15.06 

48 

$0.31 

4 

.083 

May,  '09 

15.06 

41 

.36 

5 

.121 

A  Two-Inch  Copy  Record 


145 


SYSTEM— Continued 


Cost  of 

No.  In- 

Cost per 

No. 

^  of  Orders 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry 

Orders 

to  Inquiries 

June,  '09 

$15.06 

56 

$0.26 

2 

.035 

August,  '09 

15.06 

40 

.37 

6 

.150 

September,  '09 

15.06 

48 

.31 

2 

.041 

October,  '09 

14.44 

31 

.46 

3 

.096 

December,  '09 

14.44 

35 

.41 

1 

.280 

January,  '10 

14.44 

28 

.51 

3 

.107 

February,  '10 

14.44 

36 

.40 

2 

.055 

March,  '10 

14.44 

32 

.65 

1 

.045 

April,  '10 

14.44 

25 

.57 

2 

.080 

June,  '10 

14.44 

31 

.46 

1 

.032 

August,  '10 

14.44 

58 

.25 

3 

.051 

October,  '10 

22.50 

71 

.31 

4 

.056 

November,  '10 

22.50 

58 

.39 

5 

.086 

December,  '10 

22.50 

93 

.24 

4 

.043 

$258.32         721       $0.35 

A  recapitulation  of  the  above  follows : 
RECAPITULATION 


48 


066 


Cost  of  No.  In- 

Cost  per 

No. 

%  of  Orders 

Magazine 

Space 

quiries 

Inquiry  ( 

Orders  to  Inquiries 

American  Machinist 

$150.50 

213 

$0.71 

5 

.023 

Bookkeeper 

249.15 

675 

.37 

30 

.044 

Collier's 

360.98 

1022 

.35 

51 

.050 

Harper's  Weekly 

225.00 

117 

1.92 

5 

.043 

Life 

363.00 

273 

1.33 

15 

.055 

Literary  Digest 

206.49 

343 

.60 

11 

.032 

Merchant  Trade  Jrl. 

55.33 

218 

.24 

10 

.045 

N.  Y.  Mag.  of  Myst's 

119.90 

619 

.19 

23 

.037 

Outing 

64.80 

54 

1.20 

1 

.018 

Obermayer  Bulletin 

38.40 

121 

.32 

4 

.033 

Popular  Trio 

377.87 

903 

.42 

60 

.066 

Popular  Mechanics 

97.50 

1620 

.24 

64 

.039 

Power 

324.70 

702 

.61 

23 

.033 

Printer's  Ink 

411.90 

98 

1.14 

3 

.031 

Progress 

148.33 

325 

.15 

16 

.049 

Sat.  Evening  Post 

3405.75 

8890 

.38 

511 

.057 

Success 

675.00 

1947 

.35 

97 

.050 

System 

258.32 

721 

.35 

$0.39 

48 
977 

.066 

Totals                            1 

$7533.02 

18861 

.051 

Add  Unkeyed  Inquii 

•- 

ies  (11%)  and  Un 

- 

Unkeyed       Orders 

2074 

293 

(30%) 

$7533.02 

20935 

$0.35 

1270 

.060 

10 


146  Analytical  Advertising 

In  order  to  make  a  profit  it  was  necessary  to  secure 
inquiries  at  40  cents  each,  and  develop  into  orders  at 
least  6%  of  the  inquiries  at  this  cost.  It  may  be  seen 
at  a  glance  how  few  of  the  publications  tested  were  profit- 
able. In  some  cases  inquiries  were  secured  at  an  average 
cost  of  less  than  40  cents,  when  a  somewhat  lower  per- 
centage of  orders  would  yield  a  profit.  The  general 
average  of  inquiry  cost  dropped  below  the  standard  when 
the  unkeyed  inquiries  were  added.  The  average  cost 
per  sale,  by  the  same  process,  showed  6%  on  the  entire 
campaign.  The  few  profitable  mediums  carried  the  en- 
tire campaign,  and  an  examination  of  the  records  plainly 
shows  the  unprofitable  mediums. 

In  connection  with  the  above  results  in  magazines  I 
have  been  furnished  with  a  record  of  results  in  newspapers 
tried  by  the  same  advertiser  on  the  same  proposition. 
The  record  is  less  complete  than  the  above  showing,  in 
that  no  definite  idea  is  given  of  the  sizes  of  space  used 
in  the  different  papers,  nor  the  number  of  times  each  was 
tried.  The  newspaper  results  quoted  cover  a  campaign 
in  which  a  number  of  different  sizes  of  copy  appeared. 
In  but  few  instances  do  the  records  show  results  of  copy 
less  than  30  lines.  This  latter  copy  has  been  used  by 
this  advertiser  in  newspapers,  when  the  results  have  been 
a  cost  lower  than  the  average  costs  shown  below.  The 
percentage  of  orders  from  newspapers  fell  below  that  of 
magazines,  and  in  addition  the  losses  from  bad  debts  on 
newspaper  accounts  proved  much  higher.  The  record 
is  reproduced  exactly  as  sent  in,  that  a  comparison  of 
the  results  in  various  papers  may  be  made  by  other 
advertisers  who  have  used  the  same  papers. 


Plus 

Plus 

Proportion    Cost 

Proportior 

1  Per- 

Dailies 

Cost 

In- 

Unk. 

per 

Sales 

Unk. 

cent- 

quiries 

Inq. 

In(j. 

Sales 

age 

N.  Y.  Evening  Sun 

$^3^.18 

464 

505 

$0.46 

29 

32 

.06336 

N.  Y.  Morning  Sun 

250.71 

301 

328 

76 

19 

21 

. 06402 

Globe  Democrat 

151.60 

262 

285 

53 

15 

17 

.05964 

Chicago  Tribune 

319.24 

445 

484 

66 

15 

17 

.03512 

Record-Herald 

194.84 

358 

390 

50 

18 

20 

.05128 

Post-Dispatch 

60.33 

109 

119 

51 

6 

7 

.05882 

New  Orleans  Item 

39.57 

70 

76 

52 

5 

6 

. 07894 

Commercial  Appeal 

43.95 

94 

102 

43 

7 

8 

.07843 

Washington  Herald 

32.42 

50 

54 

60 

1 

1 

.01851 

Pittsburg  Press 

60.85 

133 

145 

42 

5 

6 

.04137 

A  Two-Inch  Copy  Record 


147 


Plus 

Cost 

Plus 

Per- 

Cost 

In- 

Proportion   per 

Sales 

proportion  cent- 

Dailies 

quiries 

Unk.  Inq.     Inq. 

Unk.  Sales   age 

Cincinnati  Times-Star 

$  103.94 

262 

285 

$0.36 

4 

4 

.01400 

Kansas  City  Times-Star 

195.41 

218 

237 

82 

12 

13 

.05458 

Minneapolis  Tribune 

73.92 

84 

91 

81 

3 

3 

.03296 

Cleveland  Plain-Dealer 

46.46 

69 

75 

62 

4 

4 

.05333 

N.  Y.  Mail 

81.36 

73 

79 

1.03 

3 

3 

. 03797 

N.  Y.  World 

65.00 

112 

122 

53 

5 

6 

.04918 

Milwaukee  Sentinel 

20.08 

29 

32 

63 

1 

1 

.03125 

Baltimore  Sun 

108.98 

136 

148 

74 

3 

3 

. 02027 

Washington  Post 

76.27 

65 

71 

1.07 

3 

3 

.04225 

Omaha  Bee 

20.92 

13 

14 

1.49 

2 

2 

. 14280 

St.  Louis  Times 

78.98 

139 

151 

52 

.2 

2 

.01324 

Chicago  Journal 

59.39 

102 

111 

54 

5 

6 

.05405 

Atlanta  Constitution 

55.38 

49 

53 

1.04 

4 

4 

. 07547 

North  American 

12.80 

22 

24 

53 

2 

2 

.08333 

Boston  Post 

R3.36 

197 

214 

39 

6 

7 

.03271 

Boston  Globe 

127.62 

103 

112 

1.14 

2 

2 

.01785 

Indianapolis  News 

41.33 

52 

57 

71 

2 

2 

.03508 

Chicago  Examiner 

81.99 

217 

236 

35 

7 

8 

.03393 

Los  Angeles  Times 

29.07 

31 

34 

8.55 

2 

2 

.05882 

St   Louis  Republic 

43.01 

44 

48 

90 

1 

1 

.02083 

Baltimore  American 

20.50 

34 

37 

55 

1 

1 

.02702 

N.  Y.  American 

73.49 

225 

245 

30 

6 

7 

.02857 

Evening  Telegraph 

26.96 

27 

29 

93 

2 

2 

.06896 

Cleveland  News 

31.17 

30 

33 

94 

1 

1 

.03030 

Springfield  News 
New  York  Press 

19.06 

13 

14 

1.36 

1 

1 

.07140 

34.00 

68 

74 

46 

6 

7 

.09456 

Chronicle-Telegraph  and 

Pittsburg  Gazette-Times       49.98 

52 

57 

88 

3 

3 

.05263 

Denver  News 

17.21 

20 

22 

78 

Detroit  Free  Press 

34.13 

33 

36 

95 

1 

1 

.02777 

Cleveland  Leader 

21.51 

3 

3 

7.17 

Los  Angeles  Examiner 
Terre  Haute,  Muncie  and 

12.20 

11 

12 

1.02 

2 

2 

. 16666 

Indianapolis  Star 

32.23 

32 

35 

92 

San  Francisco  Examiner 

35.88 

16 

17 

2.11 

New  York  Times 

220.77 

351 

5218 

382 
5678 

58 
$0.60 

18 
234 

20 
258 

.05235 

Total 

$3420.08 

.04543 

An  Art  School  Exhibit 

The  records  shown  in  this  chapter  are  those  of  the 
W.  L.  Evans  School  of  Cartooning.  They  were  secured 
from  Mr.  Evans  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  H.  Prescott 
Simpson  of  The  Fowler-Simpson  Co.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
All  advertising  for  this  school  is  left  entirely  with  Mr. 
Simpson,  who  follows  a  definite,  fixed  system  in  placing 
its  orders.  The  school  moved  in  May,  1911,  and  all  re- 
records  prior  to  that  month  were  either  lost  or  mislaid. 
A  comparative  study  of  the  records  of  previous  years, 
with  those  of  1911,  is  thus  made  impossible. 

The  main  value  of  the  records  furnished  will  be  to  show 
the  accurate  system  employed.  This  system  permits  the 
order  of  no  showing  in  any  magazine  until  the  previous 
showings  have  yielded  a  profit.  There  will  thus  appear 
but  few  publications  carrying  consecutive  showing  every 
month. 

The  school  teaches  the  subject  of  cartooning  by  mail. 
A  peculiar  fact  in  connection  with  the  business  is  that 
only  one  size  of  copy  is  ever  used  and  that  is  one  inch  copy. 
Moreover  this  copy  is  never  changed.  Both  size  and  style 
of  copy  were  changed  once,  with  unsuccessful  results,  and 
the  present  copy  is  now  their  standard. 

A  follow-up  of  three  letters  goes  to  every  inquirer. 
These  letters  are  sent  under  first  class  postage.  The 
course  sells  for  $20.00  cash  and  $25.00  in  installments. 
The  course  is  a  successful  one  and  has  been  for  several 
years.  No  experimenting  is  done  now  and  all  orders  are 
for  papers  that  have  proved  their  worth.  All  copy  in 
each  publication  is  keyed  the  same. 

The  copy  is  striking,  in  spite  of  its  small  size,  and  its 
request  for  six  cents  in  postage,  unusual.  The  revenue 
from  the  postage  accompanying  an  inquiry  cuts  the  cost 
of  follow-up  materially.  It  also  serves  to  eliminate  the 
curiosity  seeker  to  a  remarkable  degree. 

Having  a  short  follow-up,  the  cost  is  small  and  subject 
to  definite  computation.  A  cost  system  is  in  effect  that 
makes  it  possible  to  know  with  certainty  when  to  reorder 
any  showing.     Having  passed  the  experimental  stage 

149 


150  Analytical  Advertising 

the  business  is  steady,  sure  and  profitable.  They  are  not 
susceptible  to  any  spell-binding,  nor  does  the  cumulative 
value  theory  cause  them  to  waste  profits  in  vain  attempts 
to  force  results. 

The  copy  used  uniformly  is  that  given  below: 


DO  YOU    LIKE    TO    DRAW? 

THAT'S  ALL  WE  WANT  TO  KNOW 

Now,  we  wiU  not  give  you  any  grand  prize 
— or  a  lot  of  free  stuff  if  you  answer  this  ad. 
Nor  do  we  claim  to  make  you  rich  in  a  week. 
But  if  you  are  anxious  to  develop  your  talent 
with  a  successful  cartoonist,  so  you  can  make 
money,  send  a  copy  of  this  picture  with  6  cents 
in  stamps  for  portfolio  of  cartoons  and 
sample  lesson  plate,  and  let  us  explain. 
THE  W.  I.  EVANS  SCHOOL  Of  CARTOONING,       333  Kingmoore  Bid?..  Cleveland,  0. 


The  records  that  follow  cover  a  period  of  monthly 
results  from  May  25th,  1911,  to  November  23rd,  1911. 
All  orders  are  given  on  the  showing  of  a  monthly  record 
submitted  to  Mr.  Simpson  on  the  23rd  of  every  month. 
With  a  given  average  inquiry  cost  there  must  be  a  certain 
minimum  sale  cost  in  order  to  yield  a  profit.  Each  publi- 
cation that  shows  by  the  record  that  the  cost  per  sale 
average  is  a  profitable  one  receives  an  order  to  repeat 
the  copy.  Those  which  fail  to  show  returns  that  are 
profitable,  by  this  standard,  do  not  receive  orders  for 
repetition. 

The  method  of  keeping  the  records  totals  all  results 
every  month.  On  the  average  showing  of  all  copy  run  in 
any  publication  it  is  reordered  on  the  23rd  of  each  month 
or  allowed  to  go  without  copy  until  it  shows  a  profit.  In 
the  records  that  follow,  each  publication  is  started  with 
the  total  results  up  to  May  25th,  1911.  The  loss  of  the 
previous  record  of  results  does  not  affect  the  business  in 
any  material  way,  as  they  have  the  totals  before  them 
just  the  same,  and  it  is  from  these  totals  that  all  orders 
are  given. 

In  order  to  discover  which  of  the  publications  that  fol- 
low are  the  profitable  ones,  simply  examine  the  fourth 
column,  that  of  "Cost."  Those  that  show  an  increase  in 
this  column  every  month  are  those  that  are  paying  stead- 


An  Art  School  Exhibit  151 

ily.  Those  that  show  no  increase  in  this  eohimn  are  pub- 
Hcations  that  have  not  yielded  any  profit.  They  are  not 
reordered  until  they  show  a  profit.  As  old  inquirers  often 
enroll  months  after  the  follow-up  ceases,  such  cases  then 
warrant  reordering  in  publications  that  have  showed  no 
profit  for  a  long  time. 

As  all  of  the  copy  is  fourteen  line  copy  the  number  of 
times  it  has  run  prior  to  May  25th  may  be  easily  deter- 
mined by  those  interested  in  this  feature.  It  will  be  read- 
ily appreciated  how  few  publications  have  warranted 
monthly  showings.  By  waiting  from  two  to  six  months 
a  number  of  magazines  will  often  show  a  profit  for  any 
proposition,  where  repeated  showings,  every  month,  mean 
continuous  loss.  It  is  also  worthy  of  note  that  this  policy 
of  irregular  showings  serves  to  keep  the  average  cost  of 
inquiries  almost  even.  With  repeated  showings  every 
month  such  costs  almost  invariably  increase  with  any 
proposition. 

The  above  explanation  will,  I  think,  make  the  following 
set  of  records  entirely  clear: 


( 

^ost  per 
reply    ] 

Cost 

Magazine 

Month 

Replies 

Cost 

Sales 

per  sale 

Ainslee's 

To  May  25,  '11 

48 

$52.50 

8 

$1.09 

$6.56 

To  June  23,  '11 

49 

52.50 

8 

1.07 

6.56 

To  July  23, '11 

49 

52.50 

8 

1.07 

6.56 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

50 

52.50 

8 

1.05 

6.56 

ToSept.  23, '11 

50 

52.50 

8 

1.05 

6.56 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

50 

52.50 

8 

1.05 

6.56 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

50 

52.50 

8 

1.05 

6.56 

American  Boy 

To  May  25,  '11 

538 

212.00 

64 

39 

3.31 

To  June  23, '11 

579 

240.00 

67 

41 

3.58 

To  July  23,  '11 

596 

254.00 

71 

42 

3.57 

ToAug.  23, '11 

619 

268.00 

74 

43 

3.62 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

641 

282.00 

81 

43 

3.48 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

665 

296.00 

84 

44 

3.52 

ToNov.  23, '11 

710 

310.00 

88 

43 

3.52 

American  Magazine 

To  May  25, '11 

159 

159.60 

25 

1.00 

6.38 

To  June  23,  '11 

166 

159.60 

29 

95 

5.15 

To  July  23, '11 

169 

159.60 

30 

94 

5.32 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

173 

159.60 

31 

92 

5.14 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

178 

159.60 

32 

89 

4.98 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

185 

180.60 

33 

97 

5.47 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

201 

201.60 

36 

1.00 

5.60 

Argosy 

To  May  25,  '11 

375 

308.00 

59 

82 

5.22 

To  June  23, '11 

401 

364.00 

62 

90 

5.87 

To  July  23, '11 

405 

364.00 

62 

89 

5.96 

ToAug.  23, '11 

412 

364.00 

63 

88 

5.77 

To  Sept.  23,  '11 

418 

364.00 

64 

87 

5.68 

To  Oct.  23,  '11 

428 

364.00 

65 

85 

5.60 

ToNov.  23, '11 

433 

364.00 

67 

84 

5.43 

152 


Analytical  Advertising 


Magazine 
Assoc.  Sun.  Magazine 


Month 
ToMay  25, '11 
To  June  23, '11 
To  July  23,  '11 
To  Aug.  23,  '11 
To  Sept.  23,  '11 
To  Oct.  23,  'II 
ToNov.  23, '11 


Replie; 
525 
555 
558 
561 
567 
569 
574 


Cost 
$315.00 
364.00 
364.00 
364.00 
364.00 
364.00 
364.00 


Cost  per 
Sales    reply 
$0.60 
65 


57 


70 


Cost 
per  Sale 
$5.52 


65 
64 
64 
63 
63 


5.60 
5.43 
5.35 
5.27 
5.20 


Beach's  Magazine 


To  May  25, '11 
To  June  23, '11 
To  July  23, '11 
ToAug.  23, '11 
To  Sept.  23,  '11 
To  Oct.  23,  '11 
ToNov.  23, '11 


12.00 
24.00 
24.00 
24.00 
24.00 
24.00 
24.00 


2.00 
3.42 
3.42 
3.42 
3.42 
3.42 
3.42 


24.00 
24.00 
24.00 
24.00 
24.00 


Cin.  Times  Star 


To  May  25,  '11 
To  June  23,  '11 
To  July  23,  '11 
To  Aug.  23,  '11 
To  Sept.  23, '11 
To  Oct.  23, '11 
To  Nov.  23,  '11 


35.34 
35.34 
35.34 
35.34 
35.34 
35.34 
35.34 


3.25 
3.25 
3.25 
3.25 
3.25 
3.25 
3.25 


Collier's 


To  May  25,  '11 
To  June  23,  '11 
To  July  23,  '11 
To  Aug.  23,  '11 
To  Sept.  23,  '11 
To  Oct.  23, '11 
To  Nov.  23.  '11 


676 

722 
749 
790 
826 
863 
909 


472.50 
567.00 
598.50 
630.00 
661.50 
693.00 
724.50 


103 
108 
110 
117 
122 
130 
136 


4.58 
5.25 
5.44 
5.38 
5.42 
5.33 
5.32 


Cosmopolitan 


To  May  25,  '11 
To  June  23,  '11 
To  July  23, '11 
ToAug.  23, '11 
To  Sept.  23,  '11 
To  Oct.  23,  '11 
To  Nov.  23,  '11 


106 
139 
156 
179 
184 


56.00 
112.00 
112.00 
140.00 
140.00 
140.00 
168.00 


70 


4.00 
6.22 
4.86 
2.15 
2.05 
2.02 
2.49 


Everybody's 


To  May  25, '11 
To  June  23,  '11 
To  July  23,  '11 
ToAug.  23, '11 
To  Sept.  23, '11 
To  Oct.  23, '11 
To  Nov.  23,  '11 


705 
766 
797 
841 
888 
929 
978 


500.25 
562.75 
594.00 
625.25 
656.50 
694.00 
731.50 


97 
110 
115 
121 
128 
133 
141 


5.15 
5.11 
5.16 
5.16 
5.12 
5.12 
5.18 


Green's  Fruit  Grower 


To  May  25,  '11 
To  June  23, '11 
To  July  23, '11 
To  Aug.  23,  '11 
To  Sept.  23,  '11 
To  Oct.  23,  '11 
To  Nov.  23.  '11 


14.00 
14.00 
14.00 
14.00 
14.00 
14.00 
14.00 


4.00 
7.00 
7.00 
7.00 
7.00 
4.66 
4.66 


Hampton's 


To  Mar.25,  '11 
To  June  23, '11 
To  July  .23, '11 
To  Aug.  23, '11 
To  Sept;  23, '11 
ToOct.  23, '11 
To  Nov.  23,  '11 


183 
195 
215 
241 
253 


101.50 
126.50 
151.50 
176.50 
201.50 
201.50 
226.50 


4.34 
5.75 
6.06 
6.78 
6.50 
5.75 
5.96 


An  Art  School  Exhibit 


153 


Cost  per 
reply 

Cost 

Magazine 

Month 

Replies 

Cost 

Sales 

per  Sale 

Leslie's 

To  May  25, '11 

180 

$108.50 

25 

$0.60 

$4.34 

To  June  23, '11 

209 

143.50 

28 

68 

5.12 

To  July  23, '11 

219 

143.50 

30 

65 

4.78 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

225 

143.50 

31 

63 

4.62 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

239 

161.00 

32 

67 

5. OS 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

247 

161.00 

33 

65 

4.87 

To  Nov.  23, '11 

248 

161.00 

36 

64 

4.47 

McCiure's 

To  May  25, '11 

163 

120.40 

17 

73 

7.08 

To  June  23, '11 

172 

120.40 

19 

70 

6.33 

To  July  23, '11 

173 

120.40 

19 

69 

6.33 

ToAug.  23, '11 

176 

120.40 

19 

68 

6.33 

To  Sept.  23, '11 
ToOd.  23, '11 

182 

120.40 

20 

66 

6.02 

187 

120.40 

20 

64 

6.02 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

190 

120.40 

20 

63 

6.02 

McLean's 

To  May  25,  '11 

1 

6.00 

0 

6.00 

To  June  23,  '11 

4 

18.00 

0 

4.50 

To  July  23, '11 

4 

18.00 

4.50 

18.00 

ToAug.  23, '11 

5 

18.00 

3.60 

18.00 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

6 

18.00 

3.00 

18.00 

ToOct.  23, '11 

7 

18.00 

2.57 

18.00 

ToNov.  23, '11 

7 

18.00 

2.57 

18.00 

Modern  Methods 

To  May  25,  '11  (Started  next  month) 

To  June  23,  '11 

5 

6.25 

1 

1.25 

6.25 

To  July  23,  '11 

6 

9.38 

2 

1.56 

4.69 

ToAug.  23, '11 

7 

9.38 

2 

1.34 

4.69 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

7 

9.38 

2 

1.34 

4.69 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

9 

9.38 

2 

1.04 

4.69 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

9 

9.38 

2 

1.04 

4.69 

Pacific  Monthly 

To  May  25, '11 

71 

31.50 

18 

1.17 

4.52 

To  June  23, '11 

74 

89.65 

20 

1.21 

4.48 

To  July  23, '11 

75 

89.65 

20 

1.19 

4.48 

ToAug.  23, '11 

80 

97.80 

21 

1.22 

4.65 

To  Sept.  23,  '11 

82 

97.80 

22 

1.19 

4.44 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

82 

97.80 

22 

1.19 

4.44 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

82 

97.80 

23 

1.19 

4.25 

Pearsons 

To  May  23,  '11 

49 

52.50 

4 

1.07 

13.12 

To  June  23, '11 

50 

52.50 

4 

1.05 

13.12 

To  July  23,  '11 

50 

52.50 

4 

1.05 

13.12 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

50 

52.50 

4 

1.05 

13.12 

ToSept.2.S, '11 

50 

52.50 

4 

1.05 

13.12 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

50 

52.50 

4 

1.05 

13.12 

ToNov.  23, '11 

50 

52.50 

4 

1.05 

13.12 

Physical  Culture 

To  May  25,  '11 

51 

57.00 

8 

1.11 

7.12 

To  June  23, '11 

54 

57.00 

9 

1.05 

6.33 

To  July  23, '11 

56 

57.00 

10 

1.01 

5.70 

ToAug.  23, '11 

57 

57.00 

11 

1.00 

5.18 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

57 

57.00 

11 

1.00 

5.18 

To  Oct.   23, '11 

58 

57.00 

11 

98 

5.18 

ToNov.  23, '11 

59 

57.00 

11 

96 

5.18 

Popular  Electricity 

To  May  25, '11 

106 

78.96 

12 

71 

6.33 

To  June  23,  '11 

116 

87.30 

15 

75 

5.82 

To  July  23, '11 

120 

87.30 

15 

72 

5.82 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

126 

87.30 

16 

69 

5.45 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

126 

87.30 

16 

69 

5.45 

To  Oct.  23,  '11 

127 

87.30 

17 

68 

5.13 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

.    128 

87.30 

17 

68 

5. IS 

154 


Analytical  Advertising 


Cost  per 

Cost 

Magazine 

Month 

Replies 

Cost 

Sales 

reply  per  Sale 

Popular  Magazine 

To  May  25, '11 

499 

$  230.30 

$0.86 

46 

$2.67 

To  June  23, '11 

536 

261.10 

91 

48 

2.86 

To  July  23,  '11 

563 

276.50 

92 

49 

3.00 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

606 

291.90 

101 

48 

2.89 

To  Sept.  23,  '11 

651 

307.30 

111 

47 

2.76 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

681 

322.70 

124 

47 

2.60 

To  Nov.  23,  '11 

711 

338.10 

128 

47 

2.64 

Popular  Mechanics 

To  May  25,  '11 

709 

276.00 

108 

39 

2.55 

To  June  23, '11 

763 

314.00 

121 

41 

2.59 

To  July  23,  '11 

804 

332.00 

125 

41 

2.65 

To  Aug.  23, 'H 

859 

350.00 

133 

40 

2.63 

To  Sept.  23,  '11 

916 

368.00 

141 

40 

2.60 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

982 

386.00 

150 

39 

2.57 

ToNov.  23, '11 

1060 

404.00 

160 

38 

2.52 

Red  Book 

To  May  25,  '11 

423 

294 . 00 

55 

69 

5.34 

To  June  23, '11 

439 

315.00 

60 

71 

5.25 

To  July  23, '11 

445 

315.00 

60 

70 

5.25 

To  Aug.  23, '11 

466 

336.00 

60 

72 

5.60 

To  Sept.  23,  '11 

484 

336.00 

62 

69 

5.41 

To  Oct.   23, '11 

491 

336.00 

66 

68 

5.06 

ToNov.  23, '11 

502 

336.00 

67 

66 

5.01 

Saturday  Eve,  Post 

To  May  25, '11 

1442 

1218.00 

213 

84 

5.71 

To  June  23, '11 

1545 

1386.00 

232 

89 

5.97 

To  July  23,  '11 

1573 

1386.00 

244 

88 

5.68 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

1592 

1386.00 

251 

87 

5.52 

ToSept.  23, '11 

1649 

1470.00 

257 

89 

5.71 

To  Oct.  23,  '11 

1694 

1470.00 

260 

86 

5.65 

ToNov.  23, '11 

1781 

1554.00 

269 

87 

5.77 

Short  Stories 

To  May  25, '11 

66 

34.00 

7 

51 

4.85 

To  June  23, '11 

75 

38.00 

11 

59 

3.45 

To  July  23, '11 

77 

38.00 

12 

49 

3.16 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

78 

38.00 

12 

48 

3.16 

ToSept.  23. '11 

81 

38.00 

13 

46 

2.92 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

83 

38.00 

13 

45 

2.92 

ToNov.  23, '11 

83 

38.00 

13 

45 

2.92 

Signs  of  the  Times 

To  May  25, '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

To  June  23,  '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

To  July  23, '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

To  Aug.  23,  '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

To  Oct.  23,  '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

ToNov.  23, '11 

8 

8.76 

0 

1.09 

Sovereign  Visitor 

To  May  25, '11 

50 

56.00 

3 

1.12 

18.66 

To  June  23,  '11 

52 

56.00 

3 

1.07 

18 

66 

To  July  23, '11 

52 

56.00 

3 

1.07 

18 

66 

ToAug.  23, '11 

52 

56.00 

3 

1.07 

18 

66 

To  Sept.  23,  '11 

52 

56.00 

3 

1.07 

18 

66 

To  Oct.  23, '11 

52 

56.00 

3 

1.07 

18 

66 

ToNov.  23,  '11 

52 

56.00 

3 

1.07 

18 

66 

Students' Art  Magazine  To  May  25,  '11 

65 

20.00 

10 

30 

2.00 

To  June  23, '11 

72 

30.00 

10 

41 

3.00 

To  July  23,  '11 

76 

30.00 

10 

39 

3.00 

ToAug.  23, '11 

79 

30.00 

10 

37 

3.00 

To  Sept.  23, '11 

80 

30.00 

10 

37 

3.00 

To  Oct.  23,  '11 

81 

30.00 

10 

37 

3.00 

ToNov.  23, '11 

82 

30.00 

11 

36 

2 

72 

An  Art  School  Exhibit 


155 


Cost  per 

Cost 

Magazine 

Month 

Replies 

Cost 

Sales 

reply    i 

oer  Sale 

Success 

To  May  25, 

'11 

69 

$50.00 

6 

$0.81 

$9.33 

To  June  23, 

'11 

71 

56.00 

6 

78 

9.33 

To  July  23, 

'11 

72 

56.00 

6 

77 

9.33 

To  Aug.  23, 

'11 

73 

56.00 

6 

76 

9.33 

To  Sept.  23, 

'11 

74 

56.00 

8 

75 

9.33 

To  Oct.  23, 

'11 

74 

56.00 

6 

75 

9.33 

To  Nov.  23, 

'11 

75 

56.00 

6 

74 

9.33 

System 

To  May  25. 

'11 

109 

112.50 

20 

1.03 

5.62 

To  June  23, 

'11 

118 

112.50 

23 

95 

4.89 

To  July  23, 

'11 

119 

112.50 

24 

94 

4.68 

To  Aug.  23, 

'11 

120 

112.50 

24 

93 

4.68 

To  Sept.  23, 

'11 

123 

125.00 

24 

1.01 

5.00 

To  Oct.   23, 

'11 

131 

137.50 

25 

1.04 

5.50 

To  Nov.  23, 

'11 

U4 

137.50 

26 

95 

5.28 

Technical  World 

To  May  25, 

'11 

188 

157.00 

33 

83 

4.75 

To  June  23, 

'11 

192 

167.00 

34 

86 

4.91 

To  July  23, 

'11 

192 

167.00 

34 

86 

4.91 

To  Aug.  23, 

'11 

198 

167.00 

34 

84 

4.91 

To  Sept.  23, 

'11 

205 

177.00 

37 

86 

4.78 

To  Oct.   23, 

'11 

211 

187.00 

37 

88 

5.05 

To  Nov.  23, 

'11 

220 

197.00 

38 

89 

5.18 

Today's  Magazine 

To  May  25, 

'11 

44 

42.00 

6 

95 

7.00 

To  June  23, 

'11 

44 

42.00 

6 

95 

7.00 

To  July  23, 

'11 

45 

42.00 

6 

93 

7.00 

To  Aug.  23, 

'11 

45 

42.00 

6 

93 

7.00 

To  Sept.  23, 

'11 

45 

42.00 

6 

93 

7.00 

To  Oct.  23, 

'11 

45 

42.00 

6 

93 

7.00 

To  Nov.  23, 

'11 

45 

42.00 

6 

93 

7.00 

World's  Almanac 

To  May  25, 

'11 

•     35 

32.50 

1 

92 

32.50 

To  June  23, 

'11 

39 

32.50 

2 

83 

16.25 

To  July  23, 

'11 

39 

32.50 

2 

83 

16.25 

To  Aug.  23, 

'11 

39 

32.50 

3 

83 

10.83 

To  Sept.  23, 

'11 

39 

32.50 

3 

83 

10.83 

To  Oct.  23, 

'11 

40 

32.50 

3 

81 

10.83 

To  Nov.  23, 

'11 

43 

32.50 

3 

75 

10.83 

Unkeyed 

To  Nov.  23, 

'11 

341 

191 

The  above  record  includes  showings  in  thirty-three 
mediums.  Of  the  thirty-three  there  are  only  four  that 
pay  with  sufficient  regularity  to  permit  a  showing  every 
month.  These  four  are  the  American  Boy,  Collier's, 
Everybody's  and  the  Popular.  There  appear  to  be 
several  other  good  pullers  in  the  list,  but  it  is  necessary 
to  "skip"  insertions  in  order  to  secure  a  working  margin 
of  profit  from  them. 

A.  discussion  between  Mr.  Simpson  and  myself  in  1909 
resulted  in  a  test  that  proved  most  interesting.  It  arose 
out  of  Mr.  Simpson's  faith  in  the  first-class  postage  plan 
operated  by  the  Evans  School.  As  previously  stated, 
this  school  uses  first-class  postage  in  its  follow^-up.     I  use 


156  Analytical  Advertising 

third-class  postage.  Mr'  Simpson  was  of  the  opinion 
that  a  high-grade  stationery,  under  first-class  postage, 
would  yield  me  better  returns  than  I  secured  from  cheaper 
paper  and  third-class  postage. 

I  decided  to  test  his  theory,  and  for  over  three  months 
sent  out  two  classes  of  follow-up.  One  was  accompanied 
by  cheap,  sixteen  pound  letterheads  and  No.  10  manilla 
envelopes,  mailed  third-class.  The  other  used  fancy 
twenty  pound  paper,  printed  in  three  colors,  with  bond 
envelopes  to  match.  Our  inquiries  were  divided  equally 
every  day  and  the  different  letters  sent  to  half  of  each. 
The  entire  follow-up  was  carried  out  in  this  fashion. 

Theresults,  after  a  three  months'  test,  showed  a  percent- 
age of  enrolments  of  .06  plus  for  the  third-class  postage, 
and  .05  plus  for  first-class  postage.  As  the  cost  in 
postage  alone  was  doubled  on  the  first-class  letters,  the  net 
loss  on  the  first-class  was  a  considerable  figure.  The 
results  of  this  test  are  significant.  With  any  new  propo- 
sition I  always  make  a  postage  test,  and  have  found 
the  third-class  as  good  as  first-class  in  every  case  tested, 
but  one.  The  latter  was  test  on  direct  advertising  to 
lawyers,  where  I  found  it  necessary  to  use  first-class  in 
order  to  secure  any  profitable  returns. 


A  Four  Years'  Record 

This  chapter  will  contain  an  advertising  record,  cover- 
ing a  period  of  four  years,  of  American  Collection  Service 
showings  in  some  150  different  mediums.  A  large  number 
of  ''trade"  records  are  omitted,  for  reasons  of  policy  previ- 
ously outlined.  This  record  of  four  years  is  given  mainly 
on  account  of  its  comparative  value  to  other  advertisers, 
although  such  a  complete  record  will  reflect  a  certain 
interest  for  any  advertiser.  The  comparative  value  will 
manifest  itself  to  many  in  the  degree  of  profit  or  loss  the 
same  publications  reflect  in  their  own  experiments.  That 
a  thorough  understanding  of  the  table  may  be  secured  by 
every  reader  certain  explanations  are  necessary,  which 
will  be  found  outlined  in  the  next  paragraph. 

In  the  second  column  will  be  given  the  year.  The 
records  for  1907  were  not  kept  in  tabulated  form,  making 
it  desirable  to  start  this  record  with  1908,  when  the  present 
system  was  installed.  In  the  first  column  on  the  left 
the  name  of  each  publication  is  given  in  alphabetical 
order,  and  the  year  given  in  the  second  column  indicates 
the  period  of  twelve  months  during  which  the  first  inser- 
tions in  each  publication  started.  In  the  third  column  is 
given  the  number  of  times  all  copy  showed  in  each  publi- 
cation. The  number  of  insertions  includes  all  sizes  of 
copy  from  small  classified  to  three  page  readers.  In  the 
fourth  column  is  given  the  total  number  of  inquiries 
secured  each  year  from  each  publication,  regardless  of 
size  of  space.  In  the  fifth  column  the  total  cash  returns 
secured  during  that  year  are  shown.  In  the  sixth 
column  the  cost  for  all  space  used  in  each  publica- 
tion is  totalled.  In  the  last  column  I  have  indicated 
whether  the  results  show  a  profit  or  a  loss.  For  obvious 
reasons  I  do  not  care  to  give  the  actual  profit  or  loss  in 
dollars  and  cents.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the 
final  result  must  take  into  consideration  the  total  cost  in 
following  up  all  inquiries  received  during  the  year,  as  well 
as  all  fixed  and  overhead  expenses  connected  with  doing 
business.  These  expenses  are  charged  against  the  pro- 
ceeds, as  well  as  the  definite  cost  of  space,  and  the  final 

167 


158 


Analytical  Advertising 


You  Have  a  Right  to 
Independence 


w 


H\ll\rR  \fur^oTuh  ion  \ou 
tohtht\t  th  it    ounn     i  nt,ht  l 
tittdon       t  \   n    ^  xii    \i       i 

<1   Mth  c  i"^--)  it  r  1  )le  lust 


that 

\OU    ICtlU  K   !  c-^  - 

ence  lf\<>uh3%c 
Nou  ilsortaliA  that  i 
not  <  nU  an  earn  st 
achii  vt  11  Ha 
come  absfilutt-h  ir  1 
the  ODponunUit  s  f  >• 


Your  Head — Your  Capital 

A  Trained  Brain  Better  Than  Cash  Capital 


March  $348.02 

April  430.48 

May  439.72 


A'!>,ur  Fh,!:f  Hu 


I  Can  Make  Your  Brain   Pay  You   Dividends 


W.   A.  SHRYER,  President 
THE  AMERICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE,    3   9  State  St.,  Detroit,  Mich. 


This  Page  Yielded  a  Net  Profit  of  $421 .67 


A  Four  Years'  Record 


159 


result  expressed  in  comparative  form  as  either  Small  Profit, 
Profit,  or  Good  Profit,  and  Small  Loss,  Loss  or  Decided 
Loss.  Such  a  plan  obviates  the  necessity  of  quoting  the 
exact  profit  or  loss,  which  would  serve  no  serious  purpose 
and  simply  aid  the  unduly  curious. 

The  records  for  1911  are  totalled  only  as  far  as  October 
first.  During  the  three  months  to  follow  practically  all 
of  the  publications  showing  a  small  loss  will  be  turned  to 
profit,  as  our  regular  follow-up  will  doubtless  reach  each 
inquirer  at  least  once  before  January  1st,  1912.  By 
means  of  the  system  now  employed  no  publication  receives 
any  order  for  any  repetition  of  a  certain  piece  of  copy 
until  the  previous  showing  pays  out.  A  number  of  losses 
incurred  during  1911  are  likely  to  be  permanent  losses,  as 
the  insertions  responsible  for  the  bad  showings  were  made 
purely  as  "experiments,"  some  in  new  mediums,  and 
others  in  old  ones.  Among  the  latter  several  "Standard 
Magazines"  were  chosen  for  experiments  (on  account  of 
large  increases  in  circulation),  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
previous  experiments  showed  a  loss.  The  results  have 
been  valuable  in  so  far  as  they  have  confirmed  the  fixed 
theory  now  employed,  namely,  to  reorder  in  no  publica- 
tion as  long  as  any  losses  from  previous  showings  appear. 
The  returns  already  in  since  the  date  of  closing  this  record, 
show  a  profit  for  a  number  appearing  as  losses  in  the 
following  table. 

Any  advertisers  desiring  any  particular  information  not 
recorded  in  these  results  will  be  cheerfully  accorded  any 
pertinent  facts  they  desire.  The  complete  table  is  as 
follows : 


To  Sept.  30, 

1911. 

Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost  Profit — Loss 

Advertisers' 

1909 

5 

59 

$187.05 

$47.19  Profit 

Mag. 

1910 

4 

38 

91.00 

16.12  Loss 

1911 

47.50 

Profit 

Alcolra  Mag. 

1909 

2 

1 

30.40  Decided  Loss 

American  Boy 

1909 

1 

22 

11.33  Decided  Loss 

1910 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

Am.  Bus.  Man 

1908 

2 

48 

129.50 

11.87  Good  Profit 

1909 

5 

53 .  00 

Profit 

1910 

2 

70.00 

Good  Profit 

1911 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

160 


Analytical  Advertising 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.Cost 

Profit — Loss 

Am.  Legal  Newsl909 

4 

25 

S9.00 

$31.65 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

40.00 

Profit 

1911 

1 

Small  Loss 

American  Mag. 

1908 

7 

158 

125.00 

66.80  Loss 

1909 

10 

262 

403.00 

128.01 

Profit 

1910 

15 

94.75 

Good  Profit 

1911 

1 

35 

117.50 

74.10 

Small  Profit 

App.  to  Reason 

1908 

2 

19 

14.96 

Loss 

1909 

4 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

1911 

20.00 

Profit 

Appleton's  Mag 

[1909 

1 

5 

3.98 

Loss 

Argosy  and 

1908 

13 

1109 

782.00 

549.77 

Decided  Loss 

All  Story 

1909 

6 

441 

769.90 

127.50 

Good  Profit 

1910 

19 

250.00 

Good  Profit 

1911 

12 

185.50 

Good  Profit 

Ass.  Sun.  Mag. 

1908 

14 

985 

970.50 

1220.92 

Big  Loss 

1909 

11 

408 

651.50 

361.72 

Loss 

1910 

3 

103 

310.75 

95.94 

Profit 

1911 

3 

353.50 

Good  Profit 

Atlantic  Mo. 

1909 

1 

3 

2.96 

Small  Loss 

Base  Ball  Mag. 

1909 

1 

5 

14.25 

Loss 

Beach's  Mag. 

1909 

4 

80 

41.00 

40.00 

Loss 

1910 

1 

46 

136.00 

40.00 

Profit 

1911 

6 

133 

562.06 

241.80 

Good  Profit 

Black  Cat 

1909 

2 

11 

8.15 

Loss 

1910 

1 

6.00 

Small  Profit 

Blue  Book 

1909 

3 

31 

25.00 

20.75 

Loss 

1910 

3 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

1911 

1 

Small  Loss 

Bonville's 

West.  Mo 

1909 

2 

8 

26.00 

25.00 

Small  Loss 

Bus.  &  Finance 

1909 

1 

2 

1.56 

Small  Loss 

1910 

1 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

Business 

1908 

3 

116 

115.00 

21.08 

Small  Profit 

(Bookkeeper.)  1909 

14 

206 

430.00 

133.86 

Small  Profit 

£1910 

12 

103 

377.00 

50.29 

Good  Profit 

1911 

10 

98 

174.15 

50.77  Small  Profit 

Busy  Man's 

1908 

1 

4 

Mag. 

1909 

12 

39 

25.47 

49.09 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

2 

10 

11.00 

3.26 

Small  Loss 

1911 

1 

1 

1.39 

Small  Loss 

Business  Phil. 

1909 

14 

250 

317.50 

85.26 

Small  Loss 

1910 

11 

96 

365.96 

37.26 

Good  Profit 

1911 

5 

27 

132.50 

9.66 

Good  Profit 

Business  World 

1908" 

2 

3 

1.18 

Small  Loss 

1909 

7 

9 

65.75 

14.50 

Profit 

1910 

1 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

Canadian 

1908 

1 

2 

4.21 

Small  Loss 

Courier 

1911 

11.00 

Small  Profit 

A  Four  Years'  Record 


161 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Profit — Loss 

Canadian  Sun. 

1911 

1 

$   1.60 

Small  Loss 

Papers 

Canada  West 

1909 

1 

11.68 

Small  Loss 

Case  & 

1909 

5 

106 

$347.05 

68.05 

Good  Profit 

Comment 

1910 

5 

66 

133.00 

32.68 

Profit 

1911 

2 

11 

70.00 

10.90 

Profit 

Chi.  Daily 

1908 

1 

17 

50.00 

2.40 

Profit 

News 

1909 

2 

9 

1.00 

4.20 

Small  Loss 

1910 

1 

3 

5.00 

,1.00 

Small  Profit 

Chi.  Ledger 

1908 

1 

12 

25.00 

free 

Small  Profit 

1909 

1 

U 

7.70 

Loss 

1910 

3.00 

Small  Profit 

Chief 

1909 
1910 

.1 

9 

21.00 

14.21 

Loss 
Profit 

Chris.  End.  Wd 

1909 

1 

28 

25.00 

34 .  58 

Loss 

Chris.  Herald 

1908 

2 

58 

55.00 

39.60 

Small  Loss 

1909 

2 

51 

52.00 

40.06 

Loss 

1910 

1 

21.00 

Profit 

1911 

1 

10.00 

Small  Profit 

Chris.  Republic 

1909 
1911 

1 

20 
5 

18.88 

Loss 

Small  Profit 

Circle 

1908 

3 

80 

60.00 

26.94 

Small  Profit 

1909 

9 

237 

338.97 

109.52 

Small  Profit 

1910 

4 

51 

93.50 

33.01 

Small  Loss 

1911 

8 

116.00 

Good  Profit 

Civil  Service 

1909 

1 

66 

4.57 

56.43 

Decided  Loss 

Rec. 

1910 

1 

49.00 

Profit 

Collier's  Wkly. 

1908 

31 

1619 

1985.00 

851.64 

Good  Profit 

1909 

30 

1146 

1791.47 

649.11 

Small  Loss 

1910 

23 

505 

1230.07 

634 . 73 

Good  Profit 

1911 

7 

303 

787.00 

303.49 

Good  Profit 

Comfort 

1909 
1910 
1911 

^ 

84 
4 

32.50 

31.10 

Decided  Loss 
Small  Loss 
Profit 

Com.  Trav.  Mg 

1911 

1 

3.62 

Small  Loss 

Common  Sense 

1909 

2 

14 

25.00 

9.33 

Small  Profit 

Continent 

1910 

2 

4 

20.00 

13.88 

Small  Profit 

(Interior) 

1911 

3 

28 

52.50 

42.94 

Loss 

Cosmopolitan 

1908 

3 

183 

55.00 

101.48 

Decided  Loss 

1909 

9 

328 

342.00 

100.74 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

5 

101 

138.50 

50.00 

Loss 

1911 

2 

123 

133.94 

112.00 

Decided  Loss 

Current  Liter. 

1908 

1 

9 

5.98 

Small  Loss 

1909 

2 

71 

88.00 

33.55 

Small  Loss 

1910 

2 

33 

44.00 

33.31 

Small  Loss 

1911 

1 

17 

35 .  00 

30.02 

Small  Loss 

Cushman's 

Couple 

1909 

1 

11 

4.45 

Small  Loss 

Domestic  Eng. 

1909 

1 

8 

25 .  00 

7.25 

Small  Profit 

1910 

2 

2 

16.42 

Small  Loss 

162 


Analytical  Advertising 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Profit — Loss 

Epworth  Her. 

1909 

1 

25 

$       6 .  00 

$  26.60 

Loss 

Everybody's 

1908 

18 

1078 

1163.68 

485 . 76 

Good  Profit 

1909 

13 

583 

1052.41 

529 . 63 

Profit 

1910 

17 

348 

944.83 

238.45 

Good  Profit 

1911 

11 

335 

1159.15 

317.50 

Good  Profit 

Everywhere 

1909 

.67 

Small  Loss 

Everywoman's 

1909 

8 

26.00 

3.12 

Small  Profit 

Mag. 

1910 

3 

2.62 

Small  Loss 

Farm  &  R.  E. 

1910 

3 

.90 

Small  Loss 

Journal 

Glean,  in  Bee 

Cult. 

1909 

9 

9.97 

Loss 

Golden  West 

Mag.    . 

1909 

1 

Grey  Goose 

1909 

8 

25.00 

4 .  27  Small  Profit 

1910 

2 

21.00 

Small  Profit 

Great  South- 

west 

1909 

4 

9.95 

Loss 

Green  Book 

1909 

1 

2.34 

Small  Loss 

1910 

1 

26.00 

Small  Profit 

1911 

5 

5.00 

2.34 

Small  Loss 

Gregg  Writer 

1911 

1 

1.15 

Small  Loss 

Hampton's  Mag  1908 

18 

11.22 

Loss 

1909 

49 

15.96 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

3 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

1911 

2 

73 

97.50 

105.00 

Decided  Loss 

Hapgood's  Op. 

1908 

3 

27 

40.00 

13.37 

Small  Profit 

Bus.  Life 

1909 

2 

79.00 

Good  Profit 

Harper's  Mo. 

1909 
1911 

2 

8 

2 

11.06 

Loss 
Small  Loss 

Harper's  Wkly. 

1908 

4 

51 

42.50 

51.92 

Loss 

1909 

1 

25.00 

Profit 

1910 

55.25 

Profit 

Hearst's  Sun. 

1908 

22 

486 

427.45 

265.48 

Decided  Loss 

Mag. 

1909 

1 

63 

168.00 

15.84 

Good  Profit 

1910 

5 

45 

47.00 

52.00 

Loss 

1911 

11.50 

Small  Profit 

Holland's  Mag. 

1910 

1 

9 

4.66 

Loss 

Home  Corr. 

1909 

1 

22 

94.05 

Decided  Loss 

Sch.  Cat. 

1910 

32 

17.23 

Loss 

1911 

34 

5.00 

Loss 

Home  Herald 

1908 

1 

28 

25.00 

10.24 

Small  Profit 

1909 

2 

12 

41.00 

42.01 

Loss 

1911 

20.00 

Small  Profit 

Human  Life 

1908 

3 

109 

85 .  00 

29.18 

Small  Profit 

1909 

5 

80 

87.00 

69.32 

Loss 

1910 

3 

24 

18.00 

13.35 

Small  Loss 

1911 

1 

1 

130.00 

2.66 

Good  Profit 

A  Four  Years'  Record 


163 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Profit — Loss 

Illus.  Sun.  Mag 

.  1908 

3 

142 

$132.50 

$148.06  Loss 

1909 

1 

34 

92.50 

31 .  72  Good  Profit 

1910 

2 

25 .  50 

Small  Profit 

1911 

32.50 

Small  Profit 

Jnl.  of  Ace. 

1909 

1 

3 

.84 

Small  Loss 

Kans.  City  Star 

1908 

7 

Kansas  Mag. 

1909 
1910 

1 

^ 

26.00 

1.33 

Small  Loss 
Profit 

La  Follette's 

1910 

5 

105 

9.00 

64.62 

Decided  Loss 

Wkly 

1911 

110.00 

Good  Profit 

Law  Student's 

1909 

4 

52 

48.87 

21.80 

Loss 

Helper 

1910 

1 

9 

31.00 

Trade 

Profit 

Leslie's  Wkly. 

1908 

1 

6 

2.34 

Small  Loss 

1911 

1 

45 

92.50 

49.40 

Small  Loss 

Literary  Digest 

1908 

16 

289 

306 . 00 

72.65 

Good  Profit 

1909 

25 

336 

538 . 95 

247.88 

Loss 

1910 

9 

135 

366 . 06 

68.21 

Good  Profit 

1911 

10 

140 

307.50 

113.30 

Profit 

Literary  Mag. 

1909 
1910 

2 

3 

4.78 

7.46 

Small  Loss 
Small  Profit 

Lupton's  List 

1909 

1 

34 

2.00 

57.56 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

2 

26.00 

Profit 

McClure's  Mag 

.1908 

1 

89 

84 .  00 

85.50 

Loss 

1909 

2 

45 

56.00 

28.60  Loss 

1910 

1 

13 

29.00 

28.60  Loss 

1911 

4 

32.50 

Profit 

Mail  Order  Jnl. 

1908 

1 

5 

4.55 

Loss 

Mereh.  Rec.  & 

1908 

1 

17 

25.00 

15.00 

Small  Profit 

S.  W. 

1909 

3 

14 

61.00 

42.75 

Small  Profit 

1910 

3 

27 

91.00 

25.04 

Small  Profit 

1911 

3 

14 

40.00 

37.62 

Small  Loss 

Merch.  Tr.  Jnl. 

1909 

2 

19 

25.00 

14.22 

Small  Loss 

1911 

1 

20 

15.39 

Loss 

Metropolitan 

1909 

3 

16 

53.58 

Loss 

1910 

1 

12 

44.42 

Loss 

1911 

1 

23 

Free 

Loss 

Mich.  Alumnus 

1911 

1 

27 

40.50 

19.00 

Small  Loss 

Model  Mag. 

1908 

4 

154 

137.50 

1.07 

Profit 

1909 

9 

613 

1350.00 

200.71 

Good  Profit 

1910 

33 

592.85 

22.40 

Good  Profit 

1911 

2 

32 .  50 

Profit 

Modern  Meth. 

1908 

5 

56 

130.00 

58.00 

Profit 

1909 

4 

116 

273.80 

105.93 

Profit 

1910 

2 

30 

34.75 

Small  Profit 

1911 

3 

78 

283 . 00 

82.71 

Good  Profit 

Mod.  Miracles 

1909 
1910 

1 

30 

30.00 
20.00 

12.45 

Loss 
Profit 

Modern 

1908 

1 

52 

30.00 

44.88 

Loss 

Woodman 

1909 

2 

73.50 

Profit 

164 


Analytical  Advertising 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Profit — Loss 

Munsey's  Mag. 

1908 

6 

349 

$237.50 

$108.00 

Small  Profit 

1909 

4 

136 

345.50 

50.00 

Good  Profit 

1910 

12 

65.00 

Profit 

1911 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

Nat.  Home  Mg. 

,  1908 

1 

6 

2.33 

Loss 

National  Mag. 

1908 

1 

10 

3.74 

Loss 

1909 

5 

25 

63.96 

Loss 

1910 

3 

Small  Loss 

National  Post 

1911 

1 

2 

20.00 

13.00 

Small  Profit 

Nat.  Sp'tsman 

1911 

1 

13 

20.00 

22.20 

Loss 

Nautilus 

1909 

o 

88 

143.50 

41.20 

Profit 

1910 

1 

102 

68.00 

111.10 

Loss 

1911 

2 

Small  Loss 

New  Eng.  Mag. 

1909 

'l 

1 

^ 

3.35 

Small  Loss 

New  Thought 

1908 

1 

14 

5.00 

4.48 

Small  Loss 

1909 

1 

7 

3.79 

Small  Loss 

1910 

3 

36 

116.00 

29 .  64 

Profit 

1911 

3 

32.50 

Profit 

N.  Y.  Mag.  of 

1908 

1 

14 

13.46 

Loss 

Myst. 

1909 

2 

Small  Loss 

N.  Y.  World 

Almanac 

1911 

1 

19 

13.17 

Loss 

No.  Am.  Rev. 

1909 

2 

7 

5.26 

Loss 

Opportunity 

1909 

1 

1.49 

Small  Loss 

1910 

•2 

11 

4.46 

Small  Loss 

1911 

3 

37.50 

Profit 

Optimist 

1911 

20.00 

Profit 

Outing 

1908 
1909 

1 

4 

6 

15.84 

Loss 
Small  Loss 

1910 

2 

26.00 

Profit 

1911 

2 

6 

20.00 

52.91 

Loss 

Outlook 

1908 

3 

29 

40.00 

9.44 

Profit 

1909 

7 

125 

143.00 

126.91 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

2 

22 

139.50 

7.72 

Good  Profit 

1911 

3 

8 

66.50 

27.37 

Small  Profit 

Overland  Mo. 

1909 

1 

4 

1.70 

Loss 

Pacific  Mo. 

1908 

3 

19 

110.00 

19.98 

Profit 

1909 

7 

94 

56.00 

150.57 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

1 

13 

68.00 

3.23 

Profit 

1911 

2 

Small  Loss 

Pearson's  Mag. 

1908 

2 

20 

25.00 

34 .  54 

Small  Loss 

1909 

5 

35 

50.00 

31.93 

Small  Loss 

1910 

7 

13.00 

Small  Profit 

Penna.  Grit 

1908 
1909 

1 

15 

2 

3.37 

Small  Loss 
Small  Loss 

People's  Pop. 

1909 

2 

29 

6.22 

Loss 

Mo. 

1910 

4 

Small  Loss 

Phila.  Inquirer 

1909 

16 

134 

81.00 

15.68 

Loss 

1910 

7 

11 

52.00 

6.34 

Small  Profit 

A  Four  Years'  Record 


165 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

.     Profit— Loss 

Physical 

1908 

1 

16 

$10.00 

$14.96 

Small  Loss 

Culture 

1909 

3 

52 

36.00 

59.74 

Loss 

1910 

3 

32.50 

Profit 

1911 

32.50 

Profit 

Pittsburg  Ldr. 

1910 

3 

8 

28 .  50 

3.22 

Small  Profit 

Popular 

1909 

3 

17 

5.32 

Loss 

Electricity 

1910 

2 

20 

7.92 

Loss 

1911 

5 

38 

52.50 

7.64 

Small  Profit 

Popular 

1908 

4 

122 

28.40 

Loss 

Mechanics 

1909 

3 

104 

159.15 

6.27 

Profit 

1910 

6 

165 

326.00 

37.50 

Good  Profit 

1911 

8 

239 

341.00 

24.36 

Profit 

Popular  Trio 

1908 

2 

127 

117.50 

46.63 

Small  Profit 

1909 

1 

51 

72.00 

15.94 

Small  Profit 

1910 

4 

128 

221.93 

55.08 

Good  Profit 

1911 

3 

109 

313.00 

48.64 

Good  Profit 

Progress 

1909 

7 

124 

151.00 

41.13 

Small  Loss 

1910 

4 

127 

233.73 

134.79 

Small  Loss 

1911 

42 

191.00 

Good  Profit 

Putnam's  Read 

.  1909 

1 

3 

4.66 

Small  Loss 

R.  R.  Man's 

1908 

1 

22 

25.00 

16.00 

Small  Profit 

Mag. 

1909 

1 

49 

50.00 

39.90 

Loss 

1910 

2 

47.00 

Profit 

Ry.  Carmen's 

Journal 

1909 

3 

9 

25.00 

19.05 

Small  Loss 

Ry.  Clerk 

1909 

3 

1 

9.52 

Small  Loss 

Ry.  Employee 

1909 

3 

2 

9.52 

Small  Loss 

1910 

1 

26.00 

Profit 

Real  Est.  Natl. 

1910 
1911 

2 

2 
1 

15.49 

Loss 
Small  Loss 

Red  Book 

1908 

5 

108 

65.00 

52.67 

Small  Loss 

1909 

10 

92 

266.00 

147.41 

Decided  Loss 

1910 

7 

154 

246.50 

51.06 

Profit 

1911 

2 

40 

82.50 

14.04 

Small  Profit 

Retailer's  Jnl. 

1909 
1910 

1 

2 

14.25 

Small  Loss 
Loss 

Rev.  of  Revs. 

1908 

10 

227 

217.50 

103.75 

Profit 

1909 

14 

262 

475.00 

137.25 

Profit 

1910 

4 

86 

102.00 

22.66 

Small  Loss 

1911 

2 

34 

203.00 

11.16 

Good  Profit 

Scribner's 

1909 

2 

20 

19.94 

Loss 

Sample  Case 

1909 

1 

9 

1.56 

Small  Loss 

School  Journal 

1909 

1 

2 

1.71 

Small  Loss 

Scientif.  Amer. 

1908 

1 

14 

2.37 

Small  Loss 

1909 

3 

29 

67.50 

15.77 

Small  Profit 

1910 

2 

12 

8.47 

Loss 

Seattle  Times 

1909 

1 

4 

Loss 

1910 

4 

3 

26.00 

4.44 

Profit 

Shop  Notes 

Quarterly 

1911 

1 

6 

8.89 

Loss 

166 


Analytical  Advertising 


Name 

Yr. 

Ins. 

Inq. 

Returns 

Ad.  Cost 

Profit — Loss 

Short  Stories 

1909 

3 

7 

$  27.00 

$  2.49 

Small  Profit 

1910 

2 

11 

8.87 

Loss 

Show  Card 

1909 

2 

9 

5.00  Loss 

Writer 

1910 

1 

3 

2.55 

Loss 

Sovereign  Vis. 

1910 

1 

100 

47.79 

Decided  Loss 

Spare  Moments 

1  1908 

10 

254 

276.50 

38 .  67 

Good  Profit 

1909 

14 

129 

299.00 

122.19 

Profit 

1910 

5 

27 

103.77 

23.55 

Profit 

1911 

2 

22 

85.50 

2.84 

Profit 

Spokane 

Spoke-Rev. 

1910 

3 

2 

1.07 

Loss 

Stellar  Ray 

1909 

1 

10 

8.58 

Loss 

Stenographer 

1909 

2 

10 

1.77 

Loss 

Strand 

1908 

1 

7 

20.00 

5.00 

Small  Profit 

1909 

3 

32 

70.75 

24.20 

Small  Profit 

1910 

1 

2 

4.40 

Loss 

1911 

1 

2 

2.72 

Loss 

Success 

1908 

11 

1264 

2055 . 45 

952.54 

Good  Profit 

1909 

14 

1366 

2652.30 

1074.85 

Good  Profit 

1910 

8 

689 

1737.75 

770.62 

Good  Profit 

1911 

2 

206 

993.13 

207.52 

Good  Profit 

Sunday  Papers 

1908 

350 

321.50 

104.00 

Profit 

1909 

350 

324.00 

230.00 

Profit 

1910 

97 

352.00 

78.97 

Good  Profit 

1911 

2 

57 

149.35 

18.53 

Profit 

S.  S.  Journal 

1909 

1 

18 

6.58 

Loss 

S.  S.  Times 

1908 

3 

45 

85.00 

28.89 

Small  Profit 

1909 

5 

122 

214.00 

75.25 

Small  Profit 

1910 

4 

96 

146.35 

63.17 

Small  Loss 

1911 

4 

64 

227.25 

94.33 

Profit 

Sunset 

1908 

2 

36 

7.92 

Loss 

1909 

5 

35 

75.00 

23.42 

Small  Profit 

1910 

4 

22 

52.00 

32.03 

Small  Loss 

1911 

2 

Small  Loss 

Swastika 

1909 
1911 

1 

6 

1 

3.23 

Loss 
Loss 

Switchman's 

Journal 

1909 

3 

2 

17.16 

Loss 

System 

1908 

33 

1269 

3329.10 

1217.90 

Good  Profit 

1909 

39 

3067 

6902.64 

1674.22 

Good  Profit 

1910 

48 

3082 

8159.36 

2534.76 

Good  Profit 

1911 

23 

2111 

7141.40 

2250.24 

Good  Profit 

Taylor- 

1909 

4 

19 

25.00 

18.79 

Small  Loss 

Trotwood 

1910 
1911 

4 

14 

2 

6.84 

Small  Loss 
Small  Loss 

Technical  Wrld 

.1908 

6 

99 

86.20 

31.94 

Small  Profit 

1909 

fi 

100 

151.13 

40.26 

Small  Profit 

1910 

0 

48 

133.00 

27.46 

Profit 

1911 

8 

69 

175.00 

37 .  44 

Good  Profit 

Ten  Story  Book  1909 

2 

7 

3.72 

Loss 

A  Four  Years'  Record 


167 


Name              Yr.  Ins.  Inq.  Returns     Ad.  Cost  Profit — Loss 

Traveling  Man    1909  2  4  $8.48  Loss 

Type  &  Phono.   1909  2  8  .|26.00         15.00  Small  Profit 

Uncle  Remus'      1908  1  8  2.50  Loss 

Mag.                  1909  1  12  1.00           4.45  Loss 

Utica  Globe         1908  1  9  7.33  Loss 

1910  10.00  Profit 

Van  Norden's      1908  7  7  1.87  Loss 

1909  5  28  25.10  7.10  Loss 
Wide  World  1909  1  6  2.31  Loss 
Woman's  Mag.    1909  5  94  80.49         67.32  Loss 

1910  2  26.00  Profit 
World  To-Day     1908  1  12  3.28  Loss 

1909  18  4.65  Loss 

1910  7  8  3.11  Loss 

1911  15.00  Profit 
World's  Events  1908  1  14  25.00         12.62  Small  Profit 

1909  2  29  52.00         26.06  Small  Loss 

1910  3  20.00  Profit 

1911  1  Small  Loss 

A  table  of  average  costs  per  inquiry  covering  all  adver- 
tising done  in  the  publications  given  above  shows  a  con- 
stantly increasing  expense.     The  table  is  as  follows: 

1907  Average  cost  per  inquiry ... .   $0.23 

1908  "  "  "  "  606 

1909  "  "  "  "  586 

1910  "  "  "  "  702 

*1911  "  "  "  "  807 

*Through  Oct.  31st. 

The  fluctuating  returns  from  month  to  month,  relative 
to  loss  and  gain,  have  also  been  recorded  by  The  American 
Collection  Service.  A  table  of  these  results  will  disclose 
what  appears  to  be  a  very  peculiar  situation,  as  in  no  two 
of  the  four  years  are  found  any  months  that  coincide  as 
to  largest  loss  or  largest  gain.  The  real  explanation  of 
the  great  differences  in  returns,  as  shown  by  months,  is 
that  in  no  two  years  have  good  letters  been  sent  out  to 
our  entire  list  of  names  at  exactly  the  same  time.  The 
largest  gains  usually  fall  in  the  months  when  the  largest 
number  of  good  letters  have  been  sent  to  a  large  list. 
The  returns,  in  other  words,  reflect  profit  or  loss  in  direct 
ratio  to  the  intelligence  and  effort  exhibited  at  specific 
times.     The  table  proves  rather  conclusively  that  there 


168 


Analytical  Advertising 


ISOOO^AYear 


SUCCESS 


For  a*15  a  >veek  clerk 


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that  points  to  Success  for  the  man  who  looks.  I  have 
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Vou  may  know  that  you  are— and  yet  not  see  the  way 
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of  my  own  home.  Xow  I  occupy  a  large  suite  of 
offices  in  the  center  of  Detroit's  business  section,  with 
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And  any  man  upon  whom  the 
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I  your  own  destiny. 


Right  at  the  start— I  offer  you  independence— in- 
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pendence—the freedom  to  let  your  best  abilities  work 
for  you  and  for  your  own  good  fortune. 

Beginning  just  as  I  began,  without  capital,  you  can 
build  up  a  prosperous  business  under  your  own  man- 
agement and  ownership  in  the  commercial  agency 
field.  The  merchants  and  manufacturers  of  your 
community  will  come  to  look  on  you  as  one  of  the  most 
important  factors  in  the  local  business  situation,  and 
you  can  gradually  extend  your  operations  over  as  wide 
a  territory  as  seems  advisable.  You  will  be  the  mul- 
ern  Commercial  .Agency  manager- saving  money  for 
your  clients,  helping  people  to  meet  their  obligations 
by  your  advice  and  encouragement,  and  increasing 
your  income  to  an  amount  that  may  now  look  forever 
out  of  your  reach.  You  can  do  all  this  through  the 
mails— using  the  methods  that  I  have  proved  success- 
ful, and  that  I  will  make  clear  and  easy  for  you  to 
follow. 

Will  you  let  me  tell  you  just  what  I  can  do  for 
you?  How  you  can  make  arrangements  with  me  to 
become  a  master  of  the  Commercial  .Agency  business? 
Let  me  show  what  others  have  done  with  my  help. 
I  will  show  you  how  you  ran  take  advantage  of  the 
biggest  opportunity  that  faces  you  today — and  how  to 
turn  it  into  big  money  for  yourself. 

Your  request  will  bring  you  full  information  at 
once.  Write  me — or  clip  this  coupon  and  mail  it  to 
me  immediately— for  a  quick  start  to  your  own  big 
success  in  business. 


W.  A.  SHRYER,  President, 

American  Collection  Service,  456  State  St.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

You  may  tell  me  the  full  details  about  the  opportunity  for  me  in  the  commercial  agency  business— how  you  have 
succeeded — how  you  have  helped  others  to  succeed— and  how  you  can  help  me.  I  shall  be  interested  in  seeing 
photographs,  sent  free,  showing  how  this  business  is  conducted  in  many  of  the  offices  you  have  helped  men  establish. 


Recent  Page  Copy.     Three  Times  in  Syf<fcm  Show  SHglit  Net  Loss. 


A  Four  Years'  Record  169 

is  not  much  to  be  expected  in  this  particular  proposition 
regarding  the  matter  of  seasons.  As  a  whole,  however, 
it  may  be  said  that  the  three  largest  months  of  practically 
every  year  are  January,  February  and  March.  In  the 
table  that  follows,  results  by  months  are  shown,  and  the 
largest  gain  in  each  year  also  noted: 

THE  AMERICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE 

1908  1909  1910  1911 

Jan.  Gain  Gain  Gain  Gain 

Feb.  Loss  Gain  Gain  Gain,  largest 

Mar.  Loss,  largest    Gain,  largest  Loss  Gain 

Apr.  Loss  Gain  Loss  Loss 

May  Gain  Loss  Gain  Gain 

June  Gain  Gain  Loss  Loss 

July  Loss  Gain  Loss  Gain 

Aug.  Loss  Loss  Gain  Loss,  largest 

Sept.  Gain  Gain  Loss  Gain 

Oct.  Gain  Gain  Gain,  largest  Loss 

Nov.  Gain  Loss  Loss,  largest    Loss 

Dec.  Gain,  largest  Loss,  largest    Gain  Gain 

A  criticism  of  my  record-keeping  system  has  been  made 
by  several,  that  may  suggest  itself  to  the  reader  from  the 
above  table.  This  is  my  failure  to  key  each  piece  of  copy 
by  months  instead  of  by  size.  A  number  of  advertisers 
key  the  same  piece  of  copy  differently  every  month  it  is 
run,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  best  months  of  the  year  for 
every  publication.  This  system  is  a  good  one,  but  there 
are  several  reasons  why  I  do  not  use  it. 

In  the  first  place  I  desire  a  system  that  reduces  the 
amount  of  work  to  the  lowest  point  consistent  with  ac- 
curate, dependable  results.  In  the  second  place  I  desire 
to  eliminate  as  many  record  books  for  keying  as  possible. 
To  key  each  piece  of  copy  with  a  separate  key  each 
month  would  mean  more  record  books  and  more  work. 
The  result  would  be  interesting,  and  for  any  number  of 
propositions  well  worth  the  work  and  trouble.  This  ap- 
plies to  so-called  "seasonal"  products. 

Records  keyed  as  to  months  would  not  be  any  reliable 
source  of  information  to  us  relative  to  the  favorable  nature 
of  certain  months.  This  would  not  be  the  case  if  we  had 
a  set  follow-up  of  a  certain  number  of  letters.     Our  returns 


170  Analytical  Advertising 

are  not  noticeably  better  or  worse  during  certain  seasons. 
The  returns  are  better  and  larger  according  to  the  strength 
of  the  special  letters  we  are  constantly  testing.  When- 
ever an  exceptionally  good  letter  is  proved  by  a  test,  it  is 
sent  to  our  entire  list.  Such  a  letter  is  as  likely  to  be 
constructed  in  July  as  in  January.  A  good  letter  will  pull 
about  as  well  one  month  as  another.  It  is  all  a  question 
of  writing  the  good  letter.  If  we  were  sending  a  good  let- 
ter to  a  large  list  in  a  "poor"  month,  the  sales  would 
swell  the  returns  of  that  month  in  an  unnatural  manner, 
and  give  a  distorted  indication  of  the  value  of  that  month. 
By  our  system  the  returns  during  such  a  month  are  dis- 
tributed to  the  various  publications,  through  the  keys 
that  have  been  pulling  for  possibly  two  years,  and  thus 
warrant  reordering  publications  whose  inquiries  are 
valuable  any  time. 


Relative  Values  of  Small  and 
Large  Copy 

An  analysis  of  advertising  results  covering  a  i)eriod  of 
four  years  would  be  incomplete  without  comparative  rec- 
ords of  various  sizes  of  copy.  The  iVmerican  Collection 
Service  follows  a  system  of  keying  all  copy  of  the  same 
size  in  exactly  the  same  manner,  whenever  it  shows  in 
the  same  publication.  This  system  makes  an  analysis 
of  the  pulling  power  of  different  sizes  a  comparatively 
easy  matter,  and  the  results  of  this  comparison  will  doubt- 
less prove  of  interest  to  every  advertiser. 

In  presenting  these  records  they  will  be  given  in  the 
order  of  their  size,  starting  with  the  classified  showings, 
which,  for  the  most  part,  took  five  lines.  In  some  in- 
stances our  classified  took  four  lines,  and  in  some  narrow 
width  publications  ran  to  seven  and  even  eight  lines.  As 
the  reading  matter  was  practically  the  same  in  each 
instance  no  attempt  was  made  to  differentiate  the  returns. 

The  results  of  each  size  of  copy  will  be  shown  in  tabu- 
lated form,  and  illustrated  by  a  piece  of  representative 
copy  in  each  case. 

RESULTS  OF  CLASSIFIED  ADVERTISING 


No.  of 

No. 

In- 

Adv. 

Cash 

'ublications 

Inser. 

quiries 

Cost 

Returns 

66 

721 

13,374 

$4,441.59 

$20,222.27 

The  average  cost  of  inquiries  for  classified  was  30  cents, 
plus. 

Typical  classified  copy: 

BUILD  A  $5,000  BUSINESS  in  two  years.  Let 
»  us  start  you  in  the  collection  business.  No  capital 
needed;  big  field.  We  teach  secrets  of  collecting 
money;  refer  business  to  you.  Write  today  for 
Free  Pointers  and  now  plans.  American  Col- 
lection Service State  St.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

RESULTS  OF  SEVEN  LINE  DISPLAY 

No.  of  No.  In-  Adv.  Cash 

Publications      Inser.  quiries  Cost  Returns 

50  84  911  $484.80  $921.15 

171 


172  Analytical  Advertising 

The  average  cost  for  inquiries  was  53  cents,  plus.  This 
copy  produced  inquiries  considerably  below  average  cost, 
but  the  campaign  was  a  decidedly  costly  one,  owing  to 
the  small  percentage  of  enrolments.  In  fifty  publications 
only  thirteen  rendered  any  profit,  of  which  only  six 
amounted  to  over  $10.00.     The  copy  was  as  follows: 


£ 


Build  a  $5000  Business 


of  your  own  and  escape  salaried  drudgery 
forlife.  SScentsaday  will  doit.  Iwillsend 
you  "Free  Pointers"  for  a  postal.  W.  A.  Shryer, 
Pres. American  Collect'nServiee,  99  State  St.,Delroit,Mich. 

RESULTS  OF  16-LINE  DISPLAY 

No.  of  No.  In-  Adv.  Cash 

Publications  Inser.  quiries  Cost  Returns 

55  126  3643  $2,549.33  $5,476.78 

The  average  cost  for  inquiries  was  .699  cents,  plus. 

Of  the  55  publications  used  22  showed  a  net  profit.  The 
returns  as  a  whole  from  this  copy  also  show  a  net  profit, 
but  very  few  of  the  publications  used  returned  a  profit  in 
any  reasonable  length  of  time.  The  copy  was  used  several 
years  ago,  and  our  follow-up  has  been  going  to  over  3,500 
of  these  names  for  over  two  years.  This  continuous  follow- 
up  has  turned  a  number  of  showings  to  a  profit,  from  a  loss 
that  stood  against  them  for  months  and  months.  The  copy 
was  retired  some  time  since,  as  it  was  found  impossible  to 
use  it  at  a  profit  through  any  consistent  repetition.  Two 
pieces  of  the  16  line  copy  are  shown  herewith,  the  first 
shown  being  the  older  copy. 

In  the  two  pieces  of  copy  to  follow,  half-tones  of 
myself  appear,  and  they  will  continue  to  intrude  them- 
selves in  other  samples  of  copy.  Their  frequency 
suggests  an  apology,  which  I  trust  will  absolve  me  from 
an  indictment  of  egotism.  Each  piece  of  copy  shown 
is  one  reflecting  a  definite  condition,  and  actual  figures 
must  be  my  excuse  for  reproducing  them  in  connection 
with  each. 

I  would  have  omitted  the  cuts  gladly,  but  an  attempt 
to  do  so  resulted  in  an  effect  that  destroyed  the  balance 
of  each  sample. 


Relative  Values  of  Small  and  Large  Copy      173 


Build  Up  a 


$5,000  Business 

in  two  years  by  starting  a  Collection  Agency. 
We  teach  you  all  the  secrets  of  the  business  and 
how  to  start  at  home.  Your  spare  time  will 
begin  earning  handsome  income  at  once. 

"Made  $60  first  30  hours,  spare  time,"  writes 

R.  M.  Beard,  Seattle. 

Big,  new  field,  no  capital 

needed.     We  send  graduates  tmsiness.     Write  today  fin- 
FKKE  I'OIMKRS  and  iiioney-iiiakins;  plan. 

American  Collection  Service 

1««  state  S( reel  l>K.TIt()IT,   )ll('ll. 


YOU  have  a  Right 
to  INDEPENDENCE 

If  you  liave  an  honest  desire  to  escape  salaried 
drudgery.      I  can  instruct  you  how  to  gain  finan- 
cial independence — how  to  secure  a  business  of 
your  own.     Over  800   others   have   succeeded 
and  are  ready  to  help— for  you  will  lielpthem 

Let  Me  Send  You,  NOW, 

the  story  of  this  new  business,  with  convinc- 
njc  FACTS  and  FIGURKS.  Write  today  for 
Pointers  on  the  Collection  Business. 

«0  State  Street 
DKTKOIT,  MICH. 


No.  of 

No. 

plications 

Inser. 

12 

12 

American  Collection  Service, 

RESULTS  OF  20  LINE  DISPLAY 

In-  Adv. 

quiries  Cost 

127  $185.48 


Cash 
Returns 
$114.00 


The  average  cost  of  inquiries  was  $1.47  plus,  and  the  copy 
practically  a  dead  loss,  as  only  one  publication  of  the  twelve 
yielded  any  profit,  the  net  amount  of  which  was  only  $3.65. 
The  copy  had  nothing  to  commend  it  and  was  as  follows : 


SPLENDID  PAY— EVENING  WORK 

Ul  to  50  percent,  coiniiiission  paid  on  l)ills  collected  in  ynur  coiuiiiu- 
nity.  A  jirofessioiially  trained  collector— not  the  coiiuiion  "hainiuer  and 
tongs"  sort— but  the  man  trained  to  say  and  do  the  right  thing  and  make 
a  friend  of  every  man  he  collects  from,  can  make  as  much  in  an  hour's 
evening  work  as  he  makes  all  day.  Starting  without  any  capital,  with 
but  a  little  study  and  practice,  you  can  stop  working  for  an  employer  in 
a  short  time  and  build  for  yourself  with  your  own  hours  a  steadily  in- 
creasing, paying  business. 

In  1910  over  five  hundred  men  trained  by  us  left  unprofitable  positions 
and  are  now  successfully  conducting  their  own  Collection  Businesses. 
How  tliese  men  were  trained  to  be  professionals,  and  how  they  started  in 
a  business  where  the  demand  is  great  and  constant  in  every  community, 
and  the  profits  10  to  50  per  cent.,  is  told  in  detail  in  our  booklet. 
"Pointers,"  sent  FREK  on  request.  It  discloses  a  field  for  money- 
making  that  will  be  a  revelation  to  you. 

THK  AMERH'AIV  COLLECTION  SEKVICK 
.S2.1  Slate  Street  »ETR(HT,  MICH. 


RESULTS  OF  36  LINE  "BLIND"  COPY 

No.  of                 No.               In-                   Adv.  Cash 

Publications           Inser.           quiries                 Cost  Returns 

15                       18                 1078                $486.78  $827.72 


174  Analytical  Advertising 

The  average  cost  of  inquiries  on  this  "Bhnd"  cojjy  was 
45  cents,  plus.  The  cost  was  exceptionally  low,  and  the 
large  number  of  inquiries  resulting  from  the  first  tests  oc- 
casioned the  trial  of  the  copy  in  a  number  of  mediums,  be- 
fore returns  had  been  given  any  chance  to  show.  The  low 
cost  and  the  large  number  of  inquiries  were  decidedly  mis- 
leading, and  occasioned  a  decided  loss,  as  only  two  publica- 
tions out  of  15  showed  any  profit,  and  the  combined  profit 
of  the  two  amounted  to  but  $33.00.  This  copy  proved  con- 
clusively for  me  that  blind  copy,  or  curiosity  copy,  was  de- 
cidedly bad.  Inquiries  from  our  best  pullers,  resulting  from 
this  class  of  copy,  proved  very  costly  in  follow-up,  as  very 
few  enrolled.  The  experiment  is  valuable  from  this  stand- 
point, as  it  is  a  common  superstition  that  one  inquiry  is  as 
good  as  another,  as  long  as  it  is  received  from  a  good 
medium.    A  piece  of  this  blind  copy,  reduced,  follows: 


Big  money  and  independence  with  nothing  to  sell 

livery  ambitious  man  cannot  b;come  a  salesman,  yet  without  capital  to  invest,  no  other  load  to 
financial  success  seems  open.    Selling  goods  may  or  may  not  pay  you,  but  why  risk  the  uncertainty  ?. 

I   Have  a  New  Business  for  You 

If  you  would  establish  yourself  in  a  highly  profitable,  dignified  and  growing  business,  without 

risking  either  capital  or  your  present  employment,  ask  for  my  new  plan.    1  will  tell  you  how  to 

start  earning  in  your  spare  time;   I  will  send  you  my  new  "  Testimony  Book"  with  a  wealth  of 

evidence  from  those  1  have  helped  to  build  their  own  businesses.     Vy>i/e  me  today 

fV.    A.    .SHRYER,    President,    49    State    Street,    Detroit,     Mich. 


RESULTS  OF  56  LINE  COPY 


No.  of 

No. 

In- 

Adv. 

Cash 

Publications 

Inser. 

quiries 

Cost 

Returns 

42 

99 

2760 

$2,109.92 

$3,730.65 

The  average  cost  of  our  quarter  page,  magazine  size 
copy,  was  76  cents  plus.  The  average  enrolment  from  this 
copy  has  yielded  a  very  fair  profit,  in  spite  of  a  number  of 
experimental  showings  that  proved  unsuccessful.  There 
have  been  several  heavy  losses  from  it  from  showings  in 
several  standard  magazines,  the  orders  for  which  were 
placed  contrary  to  our  present  policy,  which  is  to  order 
nothing  in  any  publication  as  long  as  losses  obtain  in  con- 
nection with  previous  showings.  The  copy  has  been  prac- 
tically the  same  for  three  years,  and  is  the  most  consistent 
puller  we  have  been  able  to  deyelop.  The  copy,  reduced, 
is  the  following : 


Relative  Values  of  Small  and  Large  Copy    175 


You  Have  a  RIGHT  to  Independence ! 

"^"^^^  You  have  a  right  to  independence,  but  you  must  have  an  honest  purpose 

\o  earn  it.  Many  have  purpose,  ambition  and  energy,  but  thorough  Erection 
and  intelligent  help  must  be  supplied.  My  instruction  supplies  the  first,  and 
our  Co-operative  Bureau  fulfills  the  second.  Large  numbers  have  availed 
themselves  of  boih,  succeeding  to  a  remarkable  degree.  Investigate  without 
prejudice,  this  o|iportuniiy  to 

LEARN  THE  COLLECTION  BUSINESS 

and  escape  salaried  drudKety  lor  lile.  1(  you  have  an  idea  that  the  collection  busines-,  as  I  leach 
it  IS  not  as  safe,  sure  and  dignihea  as  a  bank,  or  any  oiher  profitable  business,  you  are  mistak- 
en, and  I  will  ijrove  it,i(  you  earnestly  desire  to  get  ahead.  No  essential  branch  of  business  is  sa 
limitless,  nor  less  crowded.  No  business  may  be  built  so  large  without  iovestmeDt  of  capital. 
*  will  gladly  leod  you,  for  the  asking, 

•POINTERS  ON  THE  COLLECTION  BUSINESS" 

It  may  mean  comfort  for  life,  if  not  a  k'reat  deal  more.    Write  lor  it  now. 

W.  A.  SHRYf R.  Prei.  ANfRICAf*  COLLtCTION  SEBVICC.  Stale  St..  Dtlrail,  MM. 


HALF  PAGE,  MAGAZINE  SIZE,  COPY 


No.  of 

No. 

In- 

Adv. 

Cash 

olications 

Inser. 

quiries 

Cost 

Returns 

21 

60  . 

2458 

$2,246.17 

$6,095.75 

The  average  cost  of  inquiries  was  92  cents,  plus.  The 
records  from  which  these  results  were  taken,  comprised  for 
the  most  part  returns  from  "trade  deals,"  which  were  not 
very  profitable.  The  half-page  showings  as  a  whole  were 
made  extremely  profitable  by  the  influence  of  the  showings 
in  Business  Philosopher,  Modern  Methods  and  System, 
particularly  the  latter.  The  same  showings  in  the  other 
mediums  were  not  profitable,  but  these  were  largely  me- 
diums which  we  would  never  have  picked  for  space  of  this 
size  were  cash  being  paid  for  the  advertising.  In  this  con- 
nection we  have  tabulated  the  returns  from  half-page 
showings  in  the  large  page  magazines,  such  as  LaFollette^s 
and  Opportunity.  These  records  show  an  added  cost  per 
inquiry  ($1.44  plus,  each)  but  a  greater  profit  on  the  whole, 
for  the  lot,  although  they,  also,  were  largely  trade  deals. 
In  the  regular  standard  size  magazines  we  used  slight  varia- 
tions of  four  pieces  of  half-page  copy,  the  most  profitable 
of  which  is  reproduced  on  page  176. 

The  average  cost  of  inquiries  was  $1.11  plus. 

FULL  PAGE,  MAGAZINE  SIZE,  COPY 

No.  of  No.  In-  Adv.  Cash 

Publications  Inser.  quiries  Cost  Returns 

18  69  4296  $4,774.45  $10,772.11 

The  record  on  the  i)age  showings  reflects  the  same  con- 
dition noted  above  in  connection  with  half-page  showings, 
relative  to  the  "trade  deal."    Also,  the  same  three  maga- 


176  Analytical  Advertising 


Build  a  $5,000,. 

^       "  Business^     r^ 

of  your  own 
and  be  Independent: 

A  Specialist  is  Always   Well  Paid 


CAN  YOU  DO  WHAT  xn'X'  nruya'i  HAVF  noNv 


AMERICAN  COLLECTION    SERVICE 


Rest  Half  Page  Copy 

zines  in  the  list  served  to  make  the  entire  number  of  show- 
ings profitable.  In  connection  therewith  it  may  be  noted 
that  60  half -page  showings  costing  $2,*£64.17  show  over 
$400  more  profit  than  69  full-page  showings  costing 
$4,774.45. 

In  connection  with  the  full-page  records  just  given  a  rec- 
ord on  eight  showings  of  full  pages  in  the  large  sized  publi- 
cations was  kept.  All  showed  loss  except  two  showings  in 
a  semi-obscure  magazine  now  dead,  the  Model  magazine, 
which  at  one  time  bid  fair  to  rival  our  best  payers. 
The  same  result  relative  to  the  small  pocket  edition  size  of 
magazine  showings  was  discovered  by  us.  Out  of  twenty- 
four  full  pages  in  the  small  magazines  all  were  failures  in 
six  publications,  except  one.  Beach's  Magazine,  which 
showed  a  profit  on  ten  insertions. 

Several  pieces  of  our  best  pulling  full-page  copy  are 
reproduced  on  nearby  pages. 

The  tabulated  results  given  do  not  cover  every  size 
we  have  tried.  To  give  such  a  record  would  mean  a  book 
in  itself,  as  I  have  tried  a  large  number  of  odd  sizes,  as 
well  as  been  forced  to  adjust  our  copy  to  peculiar  shapes, 


Relative  Values  of  Small  and  Large  Copy    177 


Can  You  do  what  800  Others  Have  Done? 


(     I  Hi 

r  t  I 

r    r 

11  1  !  \\  i  I    \     1    C     ^1  s 

I  t 

1  K  1  1      !  l\l     \\ 

Bn(  k      li 

r  i      i      1      1    r      r     c     nl  1      t!    t 


'Showed"   the  very 
first  one. 


!    1  r  1  r 

1    r 

The  Collection  Business 


11       in 
r         led 


Growing  rapidly — en- 
tirely   indebted    to    the 
course 


\     U\   ill 

Will  You  Investigate? 

W-  uthcful 


B 


Made  $35  the  first 
d-iv  / 


Closed  136  accounts 
and  well  satisfied. 


W.  A.  Shryer,  Prea., 

AMERICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE, 

263  Statf;  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 


Making  good   down 
South.  / 


INVESTIGATION   COUPON 


W.  A.  SHRYER.  Prrt.  , 

Aroencon  f  olloction  S<  rv.rc. 

263  '>l.»te-  St  ,  Octroit,  M.< 


Best  page  copy.     Four  times  in  System  yielded  net  profit  of 

$1258.70.     883  inquiries  for  $427.50. 
12 


178 


Analytical  Advertising 


There  is  No  RoycJ  Road  to 
Wealth— But— Some  Roads  are 
Easier  Than  Others 

have  helped  thousands  of  men  to  succeed — and  my  definition  of 
acquiring  success  is:    "To  make  more  money,  in  a  more  congenial  >^ 
occupation."    If  you  will  read  this  page,  you  will  learn  how  to  find  ^^^1^^$^%^^^ 

The  way  from  wage-earning  to  business  management  '^'     "    '*^  "^ 

and  how  you  can  make  that  way  upward  in  the  business  world  your  own. 

I  have  succeeded — others  have  succeeded  with  me — this  is  Success's  invitation  to  you. 

Disappointed  ambition  is  the  curse — fulfilled  ambition 
the  glory — of  any  man's  life 

The  average  man  who  succeeds  in  this  world  is  the  And  how  many  men  have  died  from  disappointed 

man  who  realizes  he  was  not  born  to  set  the  world  commercial  s.xn\>\\\or\  simply  because  ihcy  did  not 

on  fire— but  aims  at  a  goal  within  his  reach  and  ^«^u,  ho-o)  to  succeed  is  bevond  the  count  of  any 

keeps  on  with  courage,  persistence,  and  intelligcntlv  pirihlv  r<-rnrd 

directed  ?5«r;)oj^  until  he  gathers  the  sweet  fruits  ^''"'"> '^'•^"™-                                         ■     ■      u 

of  his  laborsi  B"'  ''^'^  number  of  successful,  life-enjoymg  busi- 

Henry  Clay,  Daniel  Webster  and  James  G.  Blaine  j^^^^  "^^^  is  growing  e^cry  day      In  the  P^^t    "J" 

diedfromdisappointmenloftheirthwartedambitions  have  pursue^  and  acquired  „ccdcmu  knowlcd^e- 

to  attain  the  Presidency.     They  aimed  probably  not  'hi5  is  the  day  when  men  seek  and  acquire  busoiess 

toohigh,  but  with  all  their  statesmanship  they  lacked  knowledge   through  avenues  suih  as  /  o^^x  you. 

the  knowledge  of  lioisj  to  achieve  their  purpose.  Will  you  profit  by  my  experience  ? 

^3  I,  W.  A.  Shryer,  was  a  grown  man 
^MK  earning  $15  a  week  when  I  learned 
j^^an  easier  way  to  make  $15^000  a  year 

1  found  that  many  honest  people  neglect  to  pav  their  bills — but  that  they  w/7/pay  them  if  ihcir  obligationi 
arc  presented  in  a  dignilied,  business-like,  human-nature  way. 

That  way  is  so  easy  that  I  can  make  it  clear  and  easy 
for  you — for  any  man  with  ambition 

Merchants  have  their  hands  so  full  with  the  problems  of  buying  and  selling  merchandise  that  they  have 

•-..     «              .1      r-     .  P.           "Til.  »t  no  time  to  look  after  delinquent  accounts. 

This  Coupon  the  First  Step Take  It  Now  tHc  men  who,  for  various  reasons,  do  no(  pay  Ihcir  bills,  are 

•  •••aiaaat-as      —ai     a—a.aiaa-  just  like   any   oiher  class  of  men— a  class  of  many  iype^ 

c!uc>vi7i>    n      -J                                    I  And  the  knowledge  of /lotti  to  approach  and  handle  taih  ot 

W.  A.  SHRYER,  Pr"«idenl,  these  lypes  is  the  specialized  training  that  make  i  successful, 

Aaericu  Collectioa  Scrrice,          424  State  Sl,  Detroit.  Micb.      ,  commercial  agency  manager. 

„,               .          ,„.,          •       -11    .       J     ..     .              '  you  do  no/ need  rapi  fa  Mo  establish  youreelf  in  this  busi- 

Please  send  me  full  information,  illustrated  with  pholos,      ■  ness.     You  can  begin  in  your  spare  lime,  just  as  1  began. 

about  how  you  and   other  men  have  succeeded  m  ihe      "       „,,.-.,..  .  ,1     t  u    ••  •.•       ...  i..  i ii.j  .i.  . 

Commercial  Agency  Business,  starting  without  capital.           |  ?;';=, «/A1iin\s"w[l'f'lutwyou"wiTh'Lu^h?  c'^Tpiu-li^f  n'e'^d' 

jjj—,                                                                                               •  for  expansion.     Every  ambilious  man  who  wants  to  eslabl'sl- 

I  himself  in  his  own  successful  business  should  write  to  me  at 

•  •••••■« I  once.     Mail  the  coupon. 

I  W.  A.  SHRYER.  President 

. , , I       American  Colleclion  Service,     424  Stale  St.,  Dttroil.  Micb. 


Most  consistent  page  copy.     Eight  times  in  Sydem  gave  1410 
inquiries  with  a  net  cash  profit  of  $1048.28 


Relative  Values  of  Small  and  Large  Copy    179 

due  to  unusual  page  sizes  in  a  large  number  of  semi-obscure 
publications.  These  have  for  the  most  part  been  tests  of 
little  value  to  the  general  advertiser  and  are  not  repro- 
duced. If  space  permits,  illustrations  of  several  odd  sizes, 
with  a  short  record  of  each  will  be  rejjroduced  in  different 
parts  of  the  present  volume. 

The  general  deductions  I  have  been  able  to  secure  from 
my  own  records,  as  a  whole,  show  that  the  lowly  classified 
advertisement  is  the  most  consistent  puller  I  can  find.  In 
many  cases  a  five  line  advertisement,  classified,  has 
brought  more  inquiries  and  yielded  more  money  than  56 
lines  display  in  the  same  publication.  During  the  first 
year's  experience  our  classified  carried  the  business,  and 
made  success  possible,  where  failure  would  certainly  have 
resulted  had  we  confined  our  showings  to  display.  The 
losses  due  to  inexperience  and  superstitious  advice  were  all 
in  connection  with  the  use  of  display.  Classified  has  not 
only  paid  better,  dollar  for  dollar,  than  any  other  form  of 
advertising,  but  has  actually  pulled  a  great  deal  more  in 
some  publications  than  any  size  of  display  used  in  them. 

Other  than  classified  the  56  line  size  has  been  almost  the 
only  one  safe  to  use  with  any  freedom. 

The  difference  in  cost  and  relative  returns  of  pages  and 
half  pages  is  noted  in  dollars  and  cents  above.  I  think  it 
will  be  found  (where  accurate  checking  is  possible)  that 
larger  space  is  rarely  more  valuable  than  56  lines  or  half  a 
page,  granted  of  course,  that  either  of  the  latter  has  proved 
itself  profitable  copy. 

As  there  are  relatively  few  acceptable  sizes  of  copy  for 
any  business,  every  advertiser  should  be  as  reasonably  sure 
as  possible  that  his  "favorite"  copy  is  his  best  pulling  copy. 
The  conclusions  of  many  advertisers  in  this  regard  are  hard 
to  reconcile  with  any  principle  of  rhyme  or  reason.  If,  how- 
ever, actual  records  prove  certain  sizes  the  best,  the  logical 
action  is  obvious.  The  most  crying  need,  apparently,  is  a 
dependable  record  keeping  system.  If  this  book  encour- 
ages any  advertiser  to  install  a  system  that  he  knows  is 
practical  and  dependable  the  time  will  have  been  well 
spent.  It  is  certain  that  there  can  be  no  science  of  adver- 
tising until  dependable  records  are  gathered  from  many 
sources. 


180 


Analytical  Advertising 


An  Unplowed  Field 

The  Surface  has  Hardly  been  Scratched 


uires 


Tremendous  sums  are  lost  to  merchants 
and  manufacturers  every  year  through  bad 
accounts. 

Anyone  who  can  redeem  these  accounts 
from  the  loss  side  of  the  ledger  will  have 
miore  business  than  he  can  handle.  We 
will  teach  you  how  to  do  it. 

We  teach  the  business  of  collecting  bad 
accounts,  giving  you  the  same  system  that 
we  employ  in  our  own  successful  collection 
business. 

It  is  a  lucrative  business — easy  to  learn  — 
W.  A.  Shryer,  President   ^j^h  little  competition,  and— Req    " 
No  Capital,  but  integrity. 

Every  dollar  collected  for  your  customers  adds  to  your  bank 
account  and  your  business  standing. 

Why  fritter  away  the  best  yeers  of  your  life  in  uncongenial 
service  of  others?  Why  not  build  up  a  profitable  business  of 
your  own  where  your  are  master  of  your  own  time  and  reap  the 
reward  of  your  own  exertions? 

Our  first  lessons  will  enable  you  to  start  a  collection  business, 
the  full  course  gives  you  complete  mastery  of  it.  We  help  you 
at  the  very  outset  by  referring  customers  to  you. 

Now  is  the  time  to  declare  your  independence.  Every  day 
spent  in  your  present  drudgery  makes  it  harder  for  you  to  get  out 
of  the  rut.  Do  not  delay.  Write  today  for  "Pointers  on  the 
Collection  Business,"  FREE. 

AMERICAN   COLLECTION   SERVICE 

373  State  Street,  -  -  DETROIT,  MICH. 


Page  Copy  Used  in  Small   Mediums 


Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium 

The  records  of  The  American  Collection  Service,  as  re- 
flected by  the  returns  from  its  best  paying  medium,  will 
doubtless  prove  interesting  to  a  number  of  readers.  This 
publication  is  System,  published  by  Mr.  A.  W.  Shaw. 
System  was  the  first  magazine  used  by  me,  and  has,  from 
the  first,  yielded  steady,  consistent  returns  little  short  of 
marvelous. 

A  number  of  magazine  representatives  appear  to  find  no 
explanation  for  my  apparent  prodigal  use  of  space  in  Sys- 
tem, with  a  circulation  of  possibly  115,000,  when  no  word 
picture  they  can  draw  is  sufficiently  alluring  to  secure  an 
order  for  56  lines  to  be  placed  before  their  "millions  of 
readers."  The  answer,  however,  is  perfectly  plain.  System 
pays  me. 

The  advertising  manager  of  a  publication  whose  pages 
should  be  profitable  complained  of  my  disinclination  to  use 
as  large  space  with  him  as  I  did  with  System.  To  my  an- 
swer that  his  publication  failed  to  pay  he  appeared  much 
injured,  claiming  that  if  I  would  use  large  space  long 
enough  with  him  it  was  bound  to  pay  out.  I  called  to  his 
attention  that  System  was  never  developed  by  me  in  that 
fashion,  and  that  on  any  such  theory  no  one  could  benefit 
except  the  publishers.  Orders  for  System  are  placed  by  us 
on  the  same  basis  that  other  showings  are  ordered.  As  one 
pays  out  another  space  is  ordered.  The  remarkable  fact 
regarding  System,  in  connection  with  our  advertising,  is 
that  almost  any  space  will  pay  out.  It  sometimes  takes  a 
long  while  for  some  experiments  to  prove  profitable,  but 
nearly  all  have.  With  the  possible  exception  of  two  or 
three  pieces  of  copy  every  showing  ever  placed  in  System 
has  yielded  a  profit. 

I  have  been  able  to  find  no  other  publication  in  the  coun- 
try that  would  yield  profitable  returns,  month  in  and 
month  out.  In  spite  of  the  almost  wanton  space  used  in 
this  magazine  it  has  done  even  better  than  hold  its  own  at 
certain  intervals.  In  1910  the  average  cost  per  inquiry  was 
66  cents  plus.  This  was  two  and  one-half  cents  lower  than 
the  year  before.    The  fluctuations  of  inquiry  cost  in  System 

181 


18£ 


Analytical  Advertising 


Build  a  $5,000  Business  of  Your  Own 


of  every  business  is  ready  money.    Collections 

The  field  is  unlimited.  I 


lerchant.  manufacturer  and    business   mani  has    plenty   of 
both  easy  and  hard— and  gladly  shares  proceeds  of  collecti 
Slow  pay"  and  "bad  debts"  have  wrecked  many  a  prosperous  concern. 

lexptase  and  your   commissi 


The  profits  are  large  t 

A-,«,  omKa4«/%<«c  mttn  (^3"  ^'^■'1  ■"  '^'^  profitable  business  at  home,  workinir  eveniDRS  and 
rvay  aniDIUUUS  Uiail  time  at  tirst.  Later,  many  entirely  quit  working  for  others,  and  h« 
independent    building  their  business  steadily  because  of  ihe  resujts. 

Others  quality   for  tftter  fosiitonf  in    the  Credit  Department  of  large  mercantile  bouses,  for  whic 
training  and  experience  fits  ihem.    Good   Credit   Hen  thtn  Sp.ooc  Ij  &.0OO  a }ear  salary. 


WHAT  OUR  COURSE 
WILL  DO  FOR  YOU 

A  very  hriif  outline  of  the 
most  imporlani  features. 

Lesson  1— General  outline  of 
the  Collection  .Agency  Busi- 
ness — 

Lesson  II— How  to  gei  husi- 

Lesson  III— How  to  h.--ld 
business. 

Lesson  I\' — Keeping  collec- 
tion records. 

Lesson  V— How  to  get  the 
money— dty  collections  by 
mail. 

Lesson  VI— City  collections 
by  personal  work. 

Lesson  VII— How  to  get  the 
money — out  of  town  collec- 
tions   by    mail. 

Les.son  VIII  -Tracing  moved 
debtors.  _ 

Lesson  IX— Using  our  Mer- 
chants preferredjust  ice  livi 

Les-wn  X  — Iirlveloping  and 
expanding  business 

Addenda  —  Complete  set  of 
model  letters,  follow-up. 
system,  etc  .  65  carefully 
prepared   forms   for   every 


WHAT  STUDENTS  AND  GRADUATES 

SAY  About   my  course  and  what 

it  hai  done  for  them. 

A  feTv  extracts  from   letters  of  men   Tir  have 

made    successful       Full    addresses  of  these 

and  many  others  matted   't^'hen    you    ivnte. 

"I  have  Jnut  eolleetod  the  first  claim.  It  wasfnOand 
three  years  old.  My  client  Immediately  (rave  mo  all 
bl9  accounts."  writes  H.  A.  Clark.  Louisiana. 

"Lesson  IV  alone  18  worth  the  price  of  the  whole 
course"— C.  R.  Bryan,  Louisiana. 

"Am  getting  along  well:  have  eolleetod  a  lot  and 
they  are  still  coming,"  says  O.  N.  Neuman,  Florida. 

'Your  course  Is  of  great  service  to  me  as  Credit 
Man  for  present  firm."  G.  P.  Basenback.Wlseonsln. 

"Starting  Feb.  Ist,  I  h,iTe  eoll.  etod  IISS..*  I 
time  In  two  months,  at  25?  commission."  K. 
ring.  Kansas. 

"Fourcllints  In  four  days  on  first  Interview:  their 
bills  agnregate  1H62."    F.  C.  Hodge-. Pennsylvania. 

"I  am  very  much  Interested  In  your  course."  A. 
L.  Campbell,  Ontario. 

"your  systematic  course  of  training  meets  the  re- 
qulrmentHof  the  commercial  wr.rld. "J.  W.Moore. Mo. 

'Averaging  JIOUO  a  week  In  bills  to  collect,  and  half 
what  1  get  In  Is  mine."  writes  Geo.  W.  Purcell.  Col. 

"Fees  close  to  tSOUO  for  one  Arm."  6a>B  F.  E.  Plnk- 
enon.  Ills. 

"Notwithstanding  extensive  experience,  your  les- 
sons were  a  re'  elation  to  me."A.  L.  Caison,  Ills. 

"Starting  with  no  practical  exp<-rlence  1  have  built 
a  collection  business  second  to  none  In  th  S.  W." 
C.  F.  Curlee,  Oklahoma. 

"Received  list  of  claims  from  you.  and  wll!  now 
give  my  entire  time   to   my   collection    business." 
Holmes.  Oolorado. 


T.Z 


SPECIAL  TRAINING 
FOR  CREDIT    MEN 

Synopsis  0/ our  Post  Grad 
uate  Course.  IKEE  to 
graduates,  planned  to  fit 
students  for  tetter  posi- 
tions in  Credit  Depart- 
ments and  Mercantile 
Aecncio. 

Part  1 — General  explanation 
of  the  subject. 

Part  II— ".Modem  Collec- 
tion Methods" — Member- 
ship Fee  Graft" — \  aluable 
pointers. 

Part  III— "How  to  Handle 
Credits." 

Part  IV — CoMectftm  Agency 
Book-keeping. 

Part  V — How  to  become  a 
Credit  .Man. 

Pan  \I— How  to  establish 
your  own  Collection  Agen 
cy,  saving  fees  and  com- 
missions. 

Part  \U— How  to  buildup 
a  Mercantile  Re()orting  Sys- 

Part  VIII — Post  Graduate 
Training  in  Collections  and 
hintsfor  advanced  students. 


I  BuiltUpa$5,000  Business 

in  two  years — made  $5^000  gross  profit.  I  still  conduct' 'nal  busi- 
ness and  do  far  more  today.  That  is  the  reason  my  rtistruction 
is  complete,  thorough  and  practical— it  is  the  result  of  that  experi- 
ence. I  teach  you  all  the  secrets  of  the  Cuilection  Ai^f  ncy  Busi- 
ness, give  you  complete  plans,  all  forms  and  systems  and  show 
how  to  succeed. 

And  More  than  That 

we  take  care  of  our  graduates  who  open  agencies.  Our  ov.n  agency 
handles  claims  all  over  the  United  States.     We  need  local  repre- 
sentatives everywhere.     In  short,  no  such  opportunitv  was  offered 
"  itious  men  as  this 


making  plan  and  free  poi:iters. 

W.  A.  Shryer,  President. 
AMERICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE 

36  state  Street.  Detroit.  Mich. 


Fir.st  page  display  used.     One  time  in  System,  yielded 
net  profit  of  $210.69. 


Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium     183 

have  been  due  to  a  number  of  causes,  varying  most  in  direct 
proportion  to  the  total  yearly  expenditures.  The  differ- 
ences at  the  end  of  our  fiscal  year,  which  is  December 
31st,  are  not  entirely  accurate  indications,  but  everything 
considered,  the  slight  increase  in  the  average  cost  is 
remarkable,  and  the  nearest  approach  to  holding  even 
that  any  advertiser  may  hope  for,  unless  he  is  a  devotee  of 
cumulative  value,  when  he  is  likely  to  hope  for  anything. 

Our  first  advertisement  in  System  was  one-half  inch 
classified,  which  produced  inquiries  at  an  average  cost  of  7 
cents  each.  This  showing  appeared  in  August,  1907,  and 
the  average  at  the  end  of  December  31st  increased  to  13 
cents.  This  average  very  rapidly  increased  during  1908  to 
almost  $1^00,  and  decreased  slightly  thereafter  for  two 
years  until  the  present  year,  when  it  has  reached  an  aver- 
age cost  per  inquiry  of  $1,147. 

Using  such  a  large  amount  of  space  in  System  has  per- 
mitted a  degree  of  familiarity  with  it  that  is  in  itself  an  ex- 
planation for  the  low  average  costs  of  1909  and  1910.  Dur- 
ing these  two  years  the  rate  in  System  increased  twice,  and 
each  time  a  material  increase  in  circulation  occurred. 
Through  a  prudent  reservation  of  space  I  was  enabled  to 
enjoy  a  rate  lower  than  many  advertisers  were  forced  to 
pay,  and  such  reservations  usually  protected  me  for  a  pe- 
riod of  from  three  to  four  months.  During  these  periods 
large  space  would  be  used  at  the  old  rate,  yielding  inquiries 
at  the  average  figure.  Such  returns  are  largely  responsible 
for  my  low  average  rate  per  inquiry  during  the  two  years 
mentioned,  for  were  the  new  rates  charged  against  such 
inquiries  the  average  cost  would  show  a  gradual  increase, 
such  as  occurs  in  1911,  where  I  am  forced  to  pay  the  regu- 
lar page  rate. 

Having  used  this  publication  so  long  and  so  consistently 
I  have  naturally  learned  a  number  of  interesting  facts  rela- 
tive to  its  pulling  powers.  Securing  the  nearest  approach 
to  uniform  returns  from  it  I  became  interested  in  learning 
the  true  exj)lanation  for  such  a  condition. 

The  circulation  of  System  was  originally  secured  in  two 
ways^ — through  circular  letters  and  through  personal  solici- 
tations. Both  of  these  methods  were  directed  toward 
the  business  man,  and  a  substantial  rating  was  necessary, 


184  Analytical  Advertising 

so  far  as  he  was  concerned,  before  any  subscription  cam- 
paign was  launched  in  his  direction.  As  a  result  the  large 
bulk  of  the  original  subscription  list  represented  substan- 
tial business  men  or  fairly  prosperous  business  houses.  The 
original  plan  of  securing  subscriptions  still  obtains,  but 
other  avenues  have  gradually  been  opened.  The  men  likely 
to  be  interested  in  American  Collection  Service  advertising 
copy  are  not  the  owners  of  commercial  establishments,  nor 
are  they  successful  business  men  of  any  prominence  at  the 
time  they  answer  our  announcements.  Our  prospects  are 
the  men  who  seek  a  business  opening  of  their  own. 

The  set  of  conditions  outlined  above  made  a  logical  ex- 
planation as  to  the  large  number  of  inquiries  received,  a  dif- 
ficult one.  In  order  to  secure  some  light  on  the  subject  I 
picked  out  the  letters  of  100  men  who  had  enrolled  for  our 
course  through  System  advertising.  The  original  letters 
of  inquiry  were  sent  to  Mr.  Shaw  with  a  request  to  check 
with  his  subscription  list  in  order  to  learn  how  many  were 
subscribers.  This  was  done  abotit  three  years  ago,  but  the 
tabulated  results  of  this  investigation  have  been  lost.  It  is 
my  recollection,  as  well  as  that  of  Mr.  George  R.  Wilson, 
the  Western  Advertising  Manager,  that  out  of  the  100 
names,  record  of  16  was  found.  Of  these  16  nine  were  on 
the  letterheads  of  subscribers,  though  not  sent  by  sub- 
scribers themselves.  The  other  seven  were  subscribers.  Of 
the  remaining  84  no  record  of  any  nature  was  to  be 
found. 

A  similar  plan  was  tried  in  October,  1911.  The  names 
of  500  men  whose  inquiries  had  been  received  during  45 
days  preceding  were  sent  to  Mr.  Shaw  for  checking  in  the 
same  manner,  but  the  original  letters  were  not  sent.  Each 
of  these  five  hundred  had  answered  advertisements  from 
System  during  the  time  specified,  and  the  result  of  the  in- 
vestigation made  by  System  is  as  follows : 

Of  the  500  names  it  was  found  that  121  were  subscribers 
of  record.  Thirty-seven  were  not  on  their  list  of  subscrib- 
ers. Five  came  from  territory  covered  by  the  English  edi- 
tion of  System,  and  no  record  of  their  being  subscribers  was 
found  in  the  Chicago  office.  All  keys  being  from  the  Amer- 
ican edition  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  these  five  were  foreign 
readers,  not  subscribers.    The  addresses  on  the  remaining 


Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium     185 

two  of  the  500  were  indistinct,  making  any  identification 
of  them  with  possible  subscribers  out  of  the  question. 

It  is  a  favorite  boast  of  many  pubhcations  that  every 
subscriber  means  five  readers.  It  is  only  the  extremely  im- 
pressionable that  give  any  credence  to  such  claims.  The 
above  records  actually  show  that  in  System  circulation  I 
am  securing  inquiries  from  a  little  over  75%  of  readers  who 
are  not  subscribers.     If  a  few  other  publications  rendered 


$ 


)  W.  A.  Shryer,  Prestj 


$ 


Your  Head  is  Your  Fortune 


A  trained  mind  is  bet- 
ter than  cash  capital. 
No  one  knows  this 
better  than  the  man 
with  both.  Without 
the  trained  mind,  he 
could  neither  get  the 
cash,  nor  keep  it  after 
getting  it. 

Every  man's  mind 
is  capable  of  paying 
dividends.  Are  yours 
paying  You,  or  some- 
one else  ? 

I  Can  Show  You  Hob?  to  Capitalize 
Your  Head 

No  business  demands  a  trained  mind  more 
than  the  collection  business  — a  business  that 
needs  no  cash  capital  to  start— but  pays  big  re- 
turns to  the  men  I  train  to  manage  it. 

If  you  are  willing  to  learn,  I  will  show  you 
how  to  make  your  head  your  capital  in  this 
profitable  business.  Write  me  for  the  proof. 
The  postal-card  that  put  some  men  into  com- 
munication with  me  has  earned  them  a  million 
per  cent  dividends.  I  will  show  you  what  the 
collection  business  offers  in  actual  dividends 
to  you. 

W.  A.  Shryer,  President 
American  Collection  Service 
State  Street  Detroit,  Michigan 


$ 


$ 


Run  but  once.    Brought  35  inquiries  from  Sifstem 
and  $107.50  in  cash. 


186  Analytical  Advertising 

such  returns  there  would  be  larger  profits  for  everybody. 
It  is  very  evident  that  in  addition  to  its  regular  subscribers 
a  valuable  host  of  readers  see  System  every  month  and 
answer  advertisements  that  show  in  it.  It  is  no  uncommon 
experience  to  receive  from  three  to  four  requests  a  month 
for  copies  of  System.  1  have  had  more  than  that  number 
ask  to  borrow  copies.  If  it  happens  to  me  it  is  easy  to  un- 
derstand that  others  experience  it.  The  results  show  that 
outsiders  secure  it  and  answer  from  it.  It  is  this  great  un- 
known army  of  readers  that  makes  System  such  a  wonder- 
ful publication.  Without  it  such  returns  as  I  receive  would 
be  impossible,  if  average  returns  from  proportionate  thou- 
sands of  circulation  are  any  criterion.  The  significant  fact 
in  connection  with  the  record  is  this :  System  is  not  a  news- 
stand publication.  If  it  were  the  above  results  would  be 
worthy  of  little  notice. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  the  men  who  answer  our  advertise- 
ments in  System  are  the  clerks  of  subscribers,  but  this,  of 
course,  is  simply  a  "guess,"  and  as  such  has  little  real  value. 

A  table  of  results,  which  includes  every  showing  in  Sys- 
tem from  August,  1907,  to  the  time  of  this  writing,  follows. 
The  results  in  inquiries  and  cash  are  given  for  each  month, 
as  well  as  the  cost  for  space  and  the  various  spaces  used 
each  month.  I  think  the  table  of  returns  will  be  perfectly 
clear  without  further  explanation : 

RESULTS  OF  ADVERTISING  IN  SYSTEM  MAGAZINE 

Space  1907  Inq.  Cost  Cash 

^  in.  class,  Aug.  67  $4 .  75  None 

1  in.  class.  Sept.  83  9.50  $45.00 

56  lines  Dis.  Oct.  183  29.69  80.00 

No  insertions  Nov.  19  17.50 

1  in.  class.  Dec.  56  9.50  65.00 

Space  1908  Inq.  Cost  Cash 

3^  in.  class.  Jan.  iiii  $9.50  $60.00 

K  in.  class.  Feb.  39  9.50  124.00 

K  in.  class.  Mar.  70  4.75  155.00 

>i  in.  class.  Apr.  58  35.63  70.00 

>^  in.  class.  May  97  122.26  261.50 
1  Page 

>2  in.  class.  June 

10  inches  141-  S2.06  215.00 

H  Page  July 


1908 

Inq. 

Cost 

Cash 

Aug. 
Sept. 

144 
158 

$102.18 
74.33 

$314.00 
256.00 

Oct. 

134 

380.62 

431.50 

Nov. 

131 

125. G2 

559.10 

Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium      187 

Space 
yi  in.  class. 
10  in. 

y^  in.  class. 
10  inches 
y%  Page 
3  Page 
A  in.  class. 
A.  in.  class. 
A  in.  class. 

Page 
A  Page 
A  in.  class, 
in.  class. 
%  in.  class. 

2  Page  94  237.00         535.50 

A  in.  class.  Dec. 

A  Page 
A  in.  class. 
A  in.  class. 

Space 
in.  class. 
A  in.  class. 
Page 

Page  180  .$87.83       $323.10 

42  lines  Feb. 

>2  in.  class. 

Page 
^  in.  class.  172  82.24         417.20 

yi  in.  class.  Mar. 

Page 
A  in.  class. 
Page  307  169.82         594.70 

\  Page  April 

A  in.  class. 
A  in.  class. 
Page  263  143.10          485.47 

i  Page  May 

A  in.  class. 
A  in.  class. 

Page  233  143.09         453.10 

A  in.  class.  June 

A  in.  class. 

Page  226  116.37         406.00 

A  in.  class.  July 

A  in.  class. 
1  Page 
36  lines  267  133.56          802.23 


137 

69.94 

563.50 

1909 

Inq. 

Cost 

Cash 

Jan. 

188  Analytical  Advertising 

Cost  Cash 

$62.94  $551.12 

463.71  611.05 

62.94  805.54 

169.82  447.72 

490.44  653.04 

Cost  Cash 

$140.85  $1150.97 

72.73  893.00 

261.25  451.92 

146.34  437.43 

67.61  575.60 

130.27  562.06 

103.44  446.00 

67.61  595.67 

318.25  406.85 

161.60  799.91 


Space 

1909 

Inq 

>^  in.  class. 

Aug. 

KPage 

yi  in.  class. 

169 

y2  in.  class. 

Sept. 

yi  in.  class. 

><Page 

3  P.  reader 

360 

>^  in.  class. 

Oct. 

>^Page 

%  in.  class. 

303 

yi  in.  class. 

Nov. 

>^Page 

Yt.  in.  class. 

1  Page 

205 

>2  in.  class. 

Dec. 

K  in.  class. 

3  Page 

374 

Space 

1910 

Inq. 

>^  in.  class. 

Jan. 

K  in.  class. 

1  Page 

363 

K  in.  class. 

Feb. 

>2  in.  class. 

K  Page 

280 

yi  in.  class. 

Mar. 

Y  in.  class. 

2  Page 

113 

K  in.  class. 

April 

K  in.  class. 

1  Page 

20  lines 

244 

Y  in.  class. 

May 

K  Page 

196 

%  in.  class. 

June 

KPage 

KPage 

172 

yi  in.  class. 

July 

KPage 

14  lines 

25  lines 

25  lines 

163 

K  in.  class. 

Aug. 

KPage 

173 

yi  in.  class. 

Sept. 

>^Page 

1  Page 

1  Page 

360 

y2  in.  class. 

Oct. 

1  Page 

><Page 

291 

Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium       189 

Space  1910  Inq.  Cost  Cash 

yi  in.  class.  Nov. 

1  Page 

1  Page  315  $255.59         $693.50 

l/T.  in.  class.  Dec. 

yi  Page 
1  Page 
1  Page  350  286.92  938.50 

Space  1911  Inq.  Cost  Cash 

]/2  in.  class.  Jan. 

1  Page  322  $172.04       $1157.32 

yi  in.  class.  Feb. 

1  Page  221  172.04         1169.50 

y2  in.  class.  Mar. 

3^  Page 

1  Page 

i^  in.  class.  109  264.98         1012.00 

yi  in.  class.  April 

KPage 

1  Page  197  257.81  602.00 

y^  in.  class.  May 

1  Page 

yiFsige  241  216.03  846.75 

y^  in.  class.  June 

1  Page 

1  Page  245  341.24  507.58 

y^  in.  class.  July 

1  Page  164  174.15  660.60 

y^  in.  class.  Aug. 

1  Page  193  174.15  406.75 
y2  in.  class.                     Sept. 

y^2  Page 

2  full  pages 

4  quarter  pages  291  591.87  541.65 

y2  in.  class.  Oct. 

>^Page 

1  Page  357  320.71  871.00 

Having  repeatedly  tried  all  sizes  of  copy  in  System  the 
results  will  serve  to  help  some  advertiser,  possibly,  who  is 
perplexed  over  the  matter  of  sizes  in  relation  to  their  relative 
pulling  power.  The  tabulated  results  of  these  various  show- 
ings in  System  make  no  distinction  between  different  copy, 
the  tables  showing  results  according  to  size  of  space  only. 
The  best  pieces  of  copy  for  each  size  are  shown  in  another 
chapter,  and  the  best  pieces  there  reproduced  are  uniformly 
the  ones  that  proved  best  in  System,  as  well  as  elsewhere. 


190  Analytical  Advertising 

RESULTS  OF  CLASSIFIED  COPY  IN  SYSTEM 


No. 
Insertions 

In- 
quiries 

Adv. 
Cost 

Returns 

Average  Cost 
per  inq. 

59 

1360 

$307.19 

$2,911.77 

$.226 

Results  of  Quarter  Page  Copy  in  System 
10  680         $291.63  $1,406.55  .438 

Results  of  Half  Page  Copy  in  System 
19  2,076      $1,223.33  $5,473.31  .589 

Results  of  Full  Page  Copy  in  System 
22  3,386      $2,829.08  $8,859.86  .860 

Results  of  Two  Pages  Copy  in  System 

2  137         $434.94  $641.25  3.190 

Results  of  Three  Pages  Readers  in  System 

3  850      $1,189.13  $3,133.77  1.269 

The  above  records  cover  System  advertising  from  Au- 
gust, 1907,  to  August  31st,  1911.  The  average  cost  for  all 
System  inquiries  during  this  period  was  77  cents,  plus.  The 
first  cost,  in  August,  1907,  was  7  cents,  while  the  average 
cost  for  1911  through  August  was  $1.04  per  inquiry.  The 
average  costs  mentioned  here  include,  also,  a  number  of 
'*odd"  sizes,  not  tabulated  above.  The  results  from  most 
of  them  are  more  or  less  meager,  each  size  usually  being 
used  in  the  nature  of  an  experiment.  While  most  eventu- 
ally paid  out,  the  results  were  sufficiently  conclusive  to 
brand  the  spaces  unprofitable.  Several  were  25  lines  and 
several  36  and  42  lines. 

Two  pieces  of  twenty -five  line  copy  used  in  System  are 
reproduced  on  opposite  page.  The  first  piece  yielded  22 
inquiries  at  an  average  cost  of  $.636  per  inquiry,  with  cash  re- 
turns of  $70.00.  The  second  produced  inquiries  at  $1 .00  each, 
with  enrolments  amounting  to  $32.50.  Each  ran  but  one 
time  in  System,  and  proved  unsuccessful  in  other  mediums. 


Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium     191 


PRIVATE 
OFFl 


his  is 
\rour  office f 


8  Stepping  stone  from  hopeless 
drudging  for  others  to  an  easy,  lu- 
crative and  independent  business  of  your 
own  is  just  a  mental  decisic  n.  Decide  now 
"to  be  the  employer  instead  of  an  employe. 
Our  first  lessons  enable  you  to  start  a  Collection  Business. 
No  capital  required.  But  little  competition.  Remarkable  op 
portunities.  We  refer  business  to  you.  Write  for  "Pointers 
on  the  Collection  Business."  AMERICAN  COLLECTION 
SERVICE,  348  State  St.,  Detroit,   .Vlich. 


Enjoy  life  as  you  live  it 
and  insure  comfort  for  your 
old  age.  The  Collection  Busi- 
ness is  your  chance.  We  will  teach 
it  to  you,  giving  you  the  secrets  we 
employ  in  our  own  successful  Collection 
Business.  No  capital  required.  Easy 
and  congenial  work.  Quick  and  growing 
income  assured.  Our  first  lessons  enable 
you  to  start  in  business.  We  refer 
ness  to  you.  Write  for  ''Pointers  on 
the  Collection  Business."  AMER- 
ICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE, 
405  State  St.,  Detroit,  Mich. 


The  first  piece  of  display  copy  run  by  The  American  Col- 
lection Service  was  fifty-six  lines  that  appeared  in  the 
October  issue  of  System  in  1907.  In  three  months,  or  up  to 
December  31, 1907,  it  had  pulled  *241  inquiries.  In  the  April, 
1908,  issue  of  System  we  changed  the  copy,  but  continued 
the  same  key,  which  was  15  State  Street.  From  January 
first  to  the  ajjpearance  of  the  April  issue,  eight  more  in- 
quiries came  in,  swelling  the  total  for  the  first  insertion  to 
249  inquiries.  It  is  quite  possible  that  a  small  number  of 
subsequent  incjuiries  under  that  key  resulted  from  the 
first  and  only  ap])earance  of  this  piece  of  copy,  but  no 
attempt  can  be  made  to  check  direct  results  to  this  one 
piece  after  A})ril.     The  average  cost  per  inquiry  for  the 


192  Analytical  Advertising 

249,  resulting  from  the  first  display  copy,  was  eleven  and 
nine- tenths  cents. 

Our  first  display  copy  was  very  crude,  and  the  attention 
compelling  illustration  exceedingly  archaic.  After  being 
used  by  us  possibly  three  times  it  was  "lifted"  bodily  by 
another  advertiser,  and  this  mark  of  his  appreciation  went 
far  to  convince  us  of  the  wisdom  of  a  change. 

The  copy,  reduced,  appears  immediately  below: 


BUILD  UP  A  $5,000  BUSINESS  IN  TWO  YEARS 

We  show  yon  how  it  has  been  done  and  teach  you  how  to  do  it 
yourself.  Our  course  in  "Collections"  gives  you  all  the  secTRtB  of 
collecting  money — turning  bad  debts  into  cash.  You  can  start  a 
collection  agency  at  home  and  your  spare  time  will  begin  earning 
you  a  handsome  income  at  once.     "You  earn  while  you  learn." 

BIG  NEW  FIELD.  NO  CAPITAL  NEEDED. 

to  start  in  this  lucrative  bus 

yours.     E 
hard — and  is  glad  to  share  proceeds  of  collections. 

WE  SEND  GRADUATES  BUSINESS. 

e  today  for  our  new  plan.  Synopsis  of  Lessons  anH  free  pointers  on 
iiness.     Don't  delay. 

THE  AMERICAN  COLLECTION  SERVICE 

IS  STATE  ST..  DETROIT,  MICH. 


Please  mention  SYSTEM  when  wn'tWie  to  advertisers 

It  is  a  favorite  theory  of  some  that  the  first  insertion  of 
an  advertisement  yields  more  inquiries  than  subsequent 
showings  because  of  the  "curiosity  seeker."  It  is  also 
pointed  out  that  competitive  firms  always  answer  the  first 
advertisement,  thus  swelling  the  total.  Both  of  these 
theories  may  be  good  ones,  but  if  so  I  would  like  to  have 
the  same  class  of  people  answer  our  advertisement  in 
similar  numbers  constantly. 

By  our  system  of  keying  it  is  impossible  to  tell  with  cer- 
tainty just  what  month  our  advertisement  was  seen  in  a 
certain  publication,  since  we  key  it  the  same  every  time. 
In  the  matter  of  our  first  showings  in  System,  however,  we 
have  a  pretty  good  idea  of  the  cash  returns.  We  have  en- 
rolled over  seventy-five  percent  of  the  men  who  inquired 
during  the  first  few  months.  We  know  this  because  we 
started  to  keep  a  record  on  vertical  files,  and  changed  to 
horizontal  files  a  few  months  later.  The  original  files  are 
alphabetically  arranged  with  the  later  ones,  and  are  all  the 
same  size  records,  but  filed  sidewise,  instead  of  vertically. 
In  running  our  entire  list  on  special  letters  we  rarely  find 
an  "open  record"  on  the  old  file,  proving  the  high  j^er- 


Record  of  a  Most  Profitable  Medium     193 

centage  of  enrolments  secured  from  our  first  names.  At 
that  time,  also,  we  had  no  competitors  whatever,  as  our 
advertisement  was  the  first  collection  school  announce- 
ment in  System.  This  obviated  any  swelling  of  returns 
by  "competitors."  After  we  had  been  running  our  ad- 
vertisements a  number  of  months  we  discovered  another 
similar  proposition  had  run  an  advertisement  in  Collier's, 
but  of  this  we  were  thoroughly  ignorant.  Competitors' 
inquiries  being  therefore  eliminated,  the  low  cost  was  ex- 
plained by  the  interest  a  new  proposition  has  for  those 
looking  for  correspondence  instruction.  There  are  always 
a  certain  number  of  "curiosity  seekers,"  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted, but  these  are  almost  a  constant  quantity. 

The  man  who  answers  from  curiosity,  moreover,  is  not 
necessarily  an  undesirable  prospect,  provided  that  he 
knows  exactly  what  you  have  to  offer  him.  A  skillful  and 
forceful  follow-up  will  often  sell  a  man  who  had  no  inten- 
tion in  the  world  of  allowing  himself  to  be  interested  to 
the  point  of  purchase.  There  is  a  great  difference  be- 
tween the  value  of  such  a  prospect  and  the  man  who  ans- 
wers "blind  copy."  I  have  proved  the  latter  very  poor, 
so  far  as  my  own  case  is  concerned.  On  the  other  hand  I 
have  had  a  great  number  advise  that  they  answered  our 
advertisement  from  curiosity,  and  enrolled  eventually 
through  the  manner  in  which  the  plan  was  outlined  in  the 
follow-up.  This  has  occurred  so  often  as  to  make  such 
prospects  good  ones  to  secure. 

A  comparison  between  the  low  cost  of  inquiries  for  our 
first  display  copy  and  that  of  four  years  later  will  give  a 
good  idea  of  the  force  of  the  law  of  diminishing  returns. 
In  September,  1911,  we  used  three  and  one-half  pages  of 
display  in  System.  This  space  was  divided  into  two  whole 
pages,  one  half -page  and  three  quarter-pages.  The  best 
quarter-page  of  the  September,  1911,  issue  was  vertical 
copy,  which  pulled  44  inquiries  up  to  December  20th, 
1911.  The  returns  for  a  similar  period  in  1907  were  241 
inquiries  at  an  average  cost  of  .119  cents.  The  average 
cost  of  the  best  56  line  copy  in  September,  1911,  was 
$.949.  The  entire  number  of  inquiries  from  the  three  and 
one-half  pages  run  in  September,  1911,  was  540  at  an 
average  cost  of  $1.08.     From  an  average  cost  of  eleven 

13 


194 


Analytical  Advertising 


cents  to  $1.08  in  four  years  is  quite  a  jump.  It  is  a  signifi- 
cant feature  in  connection  with  any  consideration  of 
"cumulative  value." 

The  copy  used  in  September,  1911,  which  was  the  best 
of  the  three  quarter-pages  used  in  that  issue,  is  repro- 
duced below: 


Will 

/V^         You  Open 

This  Envelope? 

Of  course  you  must  send  for  it  first — but 
"Pointers  on  the  Collection  Business",  which  it 
contains,  is  worth  walking  many  blocks  for.  A 
post  card  will  bring  it  to  you  by  return  mail. 

"  Pointers  on  the  Collection  Business  "  tells  how  a  $15  a 
week  man  rose  from  the  uncertainty  and  hardship  of  salaried 
drudgery — to  the  ownership  of  a  big-paying,  $15,000  a 
year  business. 

You'll  find  tremendous  interest  in  the  story  because  what 
this  man  did  then,  you  can  do  now.  For  I  am  the  man — 
arKi  my  personal  experience  in  the  collection  field — and  the 
success  I  have  had  in  teaching  others  what  I  know,  is  suffici- 
ent assurance  that  what  I  have  taught  hundreds  of  others — 
I  can  teach  you. 

Capital  is  unnecessary  to  starting  in  the  col- 
lection business.  All  you  need  is  a  willingness 
to  earn  more— and  the  ambition  to  get  ahead. 

The  postcard  necessary  to  bring  this  booklet 
to  you  may  mean  the  difference  between  the 
stru^firle  for  a  livelihood  and  an  independent 
competence  for  life.  Others  have  found  it  so. 
Learn  what  it  means  to  you. 

W.  A.  SHRYER,  Pres. 

American  Collection  Service 
481   State  Street,   Detroit,  Michigan 


A  Small  But  Consistent  Puller 

The  Business  Philosopher,  published  by  Mr.  Arthur  W. 
Sheldon,  is  a  magazine  used  by  The  American  Collection 
Service  steadily  since  our  first  insertion  was  tried  in  Janu- 
ary, 1909.  The  publication  is  large  in  neither  size  nor  cir- 
culation, but  has  proved  a  very  consistent  puller.  It  is  the 
only  magazine,  except  System,  which  we  have  used  prac- 
tically every  issue,  for  which  reason  a  tabulated  result  of 
the  advertising  will  be  shown,  in  the  same  form  as  that  em- 
ployed in  the  previous  chapter  on  System  results. 

The  Business  Philosopher,  has  a  circulation  of  some  30,000 
and  goes  for  the  most  part  to  students  and  graduates  of  Shel- 
don's School  of  Salesmanship.  Its  readers  are  obviously  the 
kind  of  men  to  whom  our  proposition  should  appeal,  as  the 
great  majority  of  them  are  ambitious,  young  men.  They 
are,  moreover,  favorably  predisposed  toward  any  scientific 
instruction  by  correspondence,  the  result  of  the  excellent 
training  most  of  them  have  secured  in  the  Sheldon  School. 

The  net  profit  from  our  continuous  advertising  in  the 
Business  Philosopher  does  not  in  any  degree  compare  with 
that  of  our  System  advertising,  which,  however,  is  not  a 
result  at  all  surprising,  as  no  magazine  has  been  able  to  do 
for  us  what  System  does  regularly  and  consistently.  For 
the  size  of  its  circulation  Business  Philosopher  has  pulled 
steadily  for  us  to  a  rather  remarkable  degree,  as  the  follow- 
ing table  of  results  will  show : 

BUSINESS  PHILOSOPHER 


1909 

Inq. 

Cost 

Cash 

16  lines 

Jan. 

19 

$1.35 

$10.00 

16  lines 

Feb. 

14 

1.39 

23.00 

42  lines 

Mar. 

18 

6.66 

><Page 

April 

29 

8.88 

3.00 

1  Page 

May 

40 

36.64 

10.00 

^2  in.  class. 

June 

24 

1.65 

20.00 

}4  in.  class. 

July 

30 

1.65 

63.00 

^  in.  class. 

36  lines 

Aug. 

22 

7.63 

76.00 

}4  in.  class. 

Sept. 

19 

1.66 

62.00 

]/2  in.  class. 

Oct. 

11 

1.66 

22.50 

J/^  in.  class. 

X  Page 

3  Page  reader 

Nov. 

34 

130.54 

5.00 

195 


196  Analytical  Advertising 


1909 

y^  inch  class. 

Dec. 

K  inch  class. 

1910 

36  lines 

Jan. 

1  Page 

^2.  inch  class. 

Feb. 

No  Ins. 

Mar. 

3  Page  reader 

yi  inch  class. 

April 

yi  inch  class 

j^Page 

May 

>^Page 

June 

yi  inch  class. 

MPage 

July 

25  lines 

Aug. 

No  Ins. 

Sept. 

K  inch  class. 

1  Page 

Oct. 

>2  inch  class. 

1  Page 

Nov, 

K  inch  class. 

1  Page 

Dec. 

1911 

iPage 

y2  inch  class. 

Jan. 

K  inch  class. 

1  Page 

Feb. 

yi  inch  class. 

1  Page 

KPage 

Mar. 

yi  inch  class. 

1  Page 

Apr. 

>2  inch  class. 

KPage 

IPage 

May 

K  inch  class. 

>^Page 

1  Page 

June 

yi  inch  class. 

KPage 

July 

KPage 

1  Page 

Aug. 

yi  Page 

1  Page 

Sept. 

No  Ins. 

Oct. 

Inq. 

38 

Cost 
$     1.66 

Cash 
$     63.00 

16 

6.85 

1.48 

29 
6 

36.34 

120.00 
48.16 

22 

105.31 

51.00 

16 
19 

18.51 
17.36 

62.30 
32.00 

16 

17 

5 

18.50 
5.72 

26.00 

65.00 

108.00 

19 

35.86 

89 .  42 

32 

35.86 

58.50 

23 

36.10 

41.00 

Inq. 

Cost 

Cash 

32 

$36.10 

$25.00 

32 

36.10 

31.00 

38 

85.96 

67.50 

21 

56.10 

51.00 

26  53.46         155.00 


16 

53.46 

32.50 

35 

18.74 

205 . 00 

28 

52.08 

70.15 

36 

52.08 

92.50 

13 

110.00 

An  analysis  of  the  results  from  this  publication  prove  the 
absence  of  any  cumulative  value,  just  as  every  other  series 
of  results  has  done.  The  increase  in  cost  has  been  steady. 
In  the  year  1909  the  average  cost  per  inquiry  was  63  cents, 


A  Small  But  Consistent  Puller  197 


COLLECT  IT  YOURSELF— AND  SAVE  10% 

Any  io9^  collpction  can  bo  collected  quicker  and  belter  by  you  than  anybody  else,  tchen  you  learn  how. 
Shrver's  "Collection  Sense  and  Science"  is  short,  but  cumplcteand  forceful.  So  simple  in  operation  that  none 
but  an  cxT'cri  could  devise  so  much  in  so  little.  The  first  remedy  alone  has  saved  the  largest  abstract  com- 
pany in  America  thousands  of  dollars. 

COLLECTIO.V  SENSE  AND  SCIENCE  fulfills  every  reqiiJrement  for  current  collections.  Coupled  with  the 
new  Collection  Magazine  you  m.iy  Icjra  how  to  prevent  and  reduce  your  "desperate  collections." 


BUSINESS  SERVICE  i*  the  NEW  COLLECTION  MAGAZINE 

:e"  course  in  credits  and  collections.  It  is  now  runn 
cles  tiiat  will  save  any  business  man  hundreds  of  do 
defense^  iS  Bankruptcy.  Statute  of  Limitations.  Infat 
The  other  licries  deals  with  Cotlectioa  Psychology, 


BUSINESS  SER\ICE  is  a  "Post-Graduate"  course  in  credits  and  collect 
other  vital  collection  helps,  two  series  of  articles  ti.at  will  save  any  business 

plains  how  to  prevent  and  overcome  such  defense^  iS  Bankruptcy.  Statute  of  Limitations.  Infancy.  Statute 


A  Two  DoUar  Bill  will  bring  vou  B 
postpaid,  by  return  mail  Send  the 
worth  we' 11  send  it  luck. 

W.  A.  SHRYER,  Editor  BUSINESS  SERVICE,  352  Mack  Bldg^  D^oit.  Mich. 


Reduced  56  line  Cash-with-Order  Copy.    Did  not  pjiy. 

plus.  The  following  year  the  average  cost  increased  to 
$1.43,  plus.  The  past  year,  1911,  shows  an  average  cost 
of  $1.60,  plus,  up  to  November  1st. 

The  continuous  showings  of  our  copy  in  Business  Phi- 
losopher  showed  a  decreasing  profit  some  time  prior  to  Octo- 
ber, but  with  that  issue  we  withdrew  all  copy  for  two 
months,  in  order  to  allow  the  publication  a  chance  to 
"catch  up."  It  has  been  found  possible  to  continue  many 
publications  as  paying  mediums  by  following  this  policy 
with  much  greater  frequency.  A  publication  that  shows 
an  increasing  net  loss,  if  used  every  month,  may  be  turned 
into  a  fair  payer  by  keeping  out  of  it  for  intervals  of  several 
months'  duration.  Inasmuch  as  most  publications  secure 
new  readers  constantly,  and  secure  them  in  respectable 
numbers,  it  is  possible  to  continue  showings  in  them  that 
would  be  impossible  if  the  appeals  were  being  repeated, 
even  in  different  form,  to  the  same  old  readers.  It  is  the 
changing  circulation  that  makes  any  publication  valuable 
to  advertisers.  The  more  staid  a  publication  and  the  more 
constant  its  reading  circulation  the  poorer  the  medium. 
Many  exceedingly  "respectable"  and  conventional  maga- 
zines appear  to  hold  the  wonderful  theory  that  because  the 
same  old  grandfathers  read  their  sheets  month  in  and 
month  out,  for  decades  at  a  time,  they  have  in  that  fact  a 
great  talking  point  for  advertising  patronage.  Nothing  can 
be  more  stultifying.  It  is  the  new  readers  that  make  any 
consistent  repetition  of  advertisements  in  any  degree  possi- 
ble. The  more  there  are  of  them  and  the  faster  they  change 
the  better  the  publication  from  an  advertiser's  viewpoint. 


198  Analytical  Advertising 

A  good  many  publications  devote  considerable  effort  to 
convincing  advertisers  that  their  readers  renew  in  large 
proportions.  I  would  rather  have  new  readers,  gained  in 
almost  any  way,  than  old  ones  renewed  constantly.  Free 
subscriptions  are  better  than  the  same  old  readers  month 
in  and  month  out.  Every  new  reader  is  a  new  prospect, 
likely  to  be  appealed  to  through  the  novelty  of  your  first 
appeal  to  him.  Changing  copy  or  changing  the  entire 
style  of  your  appeal  is  less  effective  than  having  new 
readers  for  old  copy. 


Advertising  a  City 

All  of  the  records  in  the  preceding  chapters  lend  no 
strength  to  the  cumulative  value  superstition.  I  think  that 
this  statement  will  occasion  no  denial  from  any  but  the 
most  hopelessly  prejudiced.  The  answer  from  the  latter, 
however,  will  be  as  ready  as  it  is  pat,  namely,  that  "mail 
order  records  are  in  a  class  by  themselves." 

Having  secured  a  set  of  returns  that  are  in  no  sense  "mail 
order"  results  I  wish  to  "spread  them  on  the  record"  at  this 
juncture,  as  they  are  of  interest  from  more  than  one  view- 
point. *^ 

In  May  1911,  at  the  Affiliation  of  Advertising  Clubs 
in  Cleveland,  Mr.  Lucius  Wilson,  Secretary  of  the 
Detroit  Board  of  Commerce,  spoke  at  the  evening  banquet. 
In  discussing  "Advertising  a  City"  he  took  occasion  to  em- 
phasize the  cumulative  value  secured  by  the  city  of  Des 
Moines  in  the  advertising  campaign  inaugurated  there  by 
Mr.  Wilson  himself.  On  our  return  to  Detroit  I  challenged 
him  to  produce  any  proof  for  the  statements  so  glibly 
made,  at  the  same  time  expressing  as  my  opinion  that  his 
remarks  had  as  little  foundation  in  fact  as  every  other 
statement  of  a  similar  kind  I  had  previously  succeeded  in 
running  to  earth. 

Presuming  on  our  pleasant  relations  in  connection  with 
the  Detroit  Board  of  Commerce  Publicity  Committee,  I  at- 
tempted to  read  Mr.  Wilson  a  lecture  on  the  evils  of  teach- 
ing the  young  pernicious  doctrine.  He  in  turn  upbraided 
me  as  an  iconoclast  whose  utter  confusion  he  would  force 
me  to  admit.  Possessing  the  records,  he  cheerfully  agreed 
to  produce  them,  but  was  prevented  from  doing  so  for  sev- 
eral weeks,  when  they  were  at  last  found.  Our  wordy  argu- 
ments over  the  subject  were  tempered  with  a  great  deal 
of  friendly  banter,  culminating  in  a  rout  for  Mr.  Wilson,  he 
was  sufficiently  magnanimous  to  confess,  when  the  figures 
were  at  last  produced. 

It  is  extremely  unlikely  that  any  advertising  man  is 
entirely  ignorant  of  the  campaign  itself,  as  the  publicity 
efforts  of  Des  Moines  have  been  turned  to  profit  by  the  pub- 
lications carrying  the  copy  and  the  agents  placing  the  busi- 

199 


200  Analytical  Advertising 

ness.  These  by-products  of  the  original  expenditures  have 
doubtless  served  in  a  large  measure  to  put  "Des  Moines  on 
the  map,"  of  however  doubtful  vahie  such  a  result  may 
prove  intrinsically. 

The  campaign  started  in  iVpril,  1910.  Mr.  Wilson  was 
at  that  time  Secretary  of  The  Greater  Des  Moines  Com- 
mittee, and  had  worked  heroically  for  a  number  of  months 
in  convincing  his  members  that  a  national  advertising  cam- 
paign was  the  tonic  Des  Moines  needed.  His  efforts  were 
rewarded  by  an  appropriation  of  $10,000,  to  be  spent  in 
magazines  of  national  distribution.  In  order  to  secure  "cu- 
mulative value"  it  was  decided  that  this  appropriation 
should  be  spent  in  a  limited  number  of  publications,  and 
that  the  insertions  of  the  copy  should  be  as  consecutive  as 
possible.  The  campaign  of  the  first  year  started  with  the 
Saturday  Evening  Post  on  iVpril  23,  with  a  full  page  spread, 
and  was  followed  at  intervals  with  six  quarter  pages  and 
one  half  page.  In  the  May  issue  of  the  World's  Work  a 
two-page  spread  started,  followed  by  four  full  pages  at 
intervals  to  be  shown  in  the  tables  that  follow. 

Before  the  expiration  of  the  first  year  Mr.  Wilson  left 
Des  Moines  to  accept  the  secretaryship  of  the  Detroit 
Board  of  Commerce,  but  the  work  started  by  him  was 
carried  on  during  the  year  1911  by  his  successor,  Mr. 
Ralph  P.  Bolton.  I  am  greatly  indebted  to  both  Mr.  Wil- 
son and  Mr.  Bolton  for  the  complete  record  of  the  adver- 
tising done  by  Des  Moines,  and  I  take  this  occasion  to 
acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  each. 

The  records  that  immediately  follow  show  the  totals  for 
the  1910  advertising.  Each  separate  piece  of  copy  was 
keyed  differently  and  the  results  show  the  total  number  of 
inquiries  up  to  December  8, 1910.  iVs  a  matter  of  actual  fact 
the  records  on  which  Mr.  Wilson  assumed  to  base  a  deduc- 
tion of  cumulative  value  afforded  no  real  basis  for  any  con- 
sideration of  this  nature,  as  no  regular  or  consistent  system 
of  absolutely  consecutive  showings  had  been  observed. 

The  record  of  the  World's  Work  campaign  will  be  shown 
first,  as  follows : 


Advertising  a  City 


201 


THE  SATURD/tr   EVENING    POST 


First  Des  Moines  Copy 


202  Analytical  Advertising 

WORLD'S  WORK 

Advertising  Report  up  to  December  8th,  1910 


Name  of 
Magazine 

No.  of 
pages 

Date 

No.  of 
replies 

Cost 

Av.  Cost 

W.  W. 

Double  Page 

May 

61 

$306.24 

$5 . 002 

W.  W. 

One 

" 

June 

75 

153.12 

2.04 

W.  w. 

" 

" 

Sept. 

34 

153.12 

4.50 

w.  w. 

" 

" 

Oct. 

25 

153.12 

6.012 

w.  w. 

<< 

" 

Nov. 

27 

153.12 

5.67 

Six  Pages  222       $918.72         $4,138 

The  average  cost  of  these  six  pages  was  $4.13,  plus,  per 
inquiry.  • 

Only  one  of  the  five  showings  made  developed  a  cost  of 
less  than  the  average,  namely  that  of  the  second  showing, 
in  June.  The  last  cost  is  greater  than  the  first  cost,  and 
greater  than  the  average  cost.  The  low  cost  of  the  June 
insertion  is  perfectly  understandable,  when  the  copy  is 
examined.  The  June  copy  is  the  one  good  piece  of  copy  of 
the  lot.  This  is  not  given  as  a  criticism,  as  the  records 
prove  the  statement.  On  the  opposite  page  I  have  repro- 
duced the  four  full  pages  used  in  World's  Work.  It  is  easy 
to  understand  the  interest  quality  of  the  copy  "How  Will 
You  Invest  Your  Son,"  and  in  view  of  its  increased  pulling 
power  justify  an  instant  choice  for  it  as  the  one  good  piece 
of  copy  of  the  lot.  The  justification  for  this  comparison 
further  proves  itself  in  the  record  of  the  Saturday  Evening 
Post.  This  copy  did  even  better  there,  reducing  an  aver- 
age cost  from  $3,198  to  $1.21,  the  best  of  the  entire  series 
by  over  100%.  The  two-page  spread  is  not  reproduced. 
Such  copy  takes  up  entirely  too  much  space,  and  is  inter- 
esting to  but  the  few  with  money  to  throw  away. 

The  record  of  results  in  Saturday  Evening  Post  for  1910 
will  be  illustrated  by  reduced  reproductions  of  the  copy 
run.  Eight  pieces  were  used.  The  June  copy  in  World's 
Work  was  used  as  a  quarter  page  in  the  Post  on  July  23rd. 
The  page  reproduced  from  the  September  issue  of  World 's 
Work  was  used  as  a  quarter  page  in  the  Post  on  May  14th. 
The  World's  Work  full  page  of  October  was  used  more 
effectively  in  the  Post  as  a  half  page  on  September  24th. 


Advertising  a  City 


203 


June,  1910 


September,  1910 


I Des Moines  rjt.vcfrf;rt(\int>iGs'  !^^DfsMoines.("itvoF(  c-rtuintics^^ 

)  Hill  Siin'f       .  /  (,i„:iiii-  (Jt)  /.s  tin  .S,//<-,»/  -rhiiC 
,.,     |,,,,.^.  iiji  l.arth  fnr  brci'stiiicnts. 

M-HK   \.:.iinu'  .T      OlNCK  1<>(((I  i)^sM..nH-s— th<-  Citx  ..t"  r.crt.imtics 
..    IS    t.ikiii^    no     D    „!,,,>.    .'r,.«n    in    iiopulatKin    trcm    62,1,V;    to 

„    the    Crv    ,.f     ,n,M.r,o 

i^   rh.it  in 
•,  uhat? 


/Ay:-  //  ///  ) 


I)f  ^Mmth'S  (  il\  ot  ( 


Des  Moines.Citv  of  Certainties 


Fitl)    j)iikrtnt    \v\\     \la  lul  u  ni,Li>    U  UHHf 

!-pi!iR     .  .Ill  Of^portiniity  or  ii  CcrtdiiitY: 

\l^|■^  MOlMSwn.^i   kn,.un  all  <,x  cr  the  Inilcd 


iiiiin 


October,  1910 


November,  1910 


204 


Analytical  Advertising 


These  pieces  are  not  again  reproduced.  The  other  Post 
quarter  pages  are  four  in  number  and  will  be  found  repro- 
duced on  one  page  in  this  chapter,  properly  marked  as  to 
dates  run.  I  have  also  reproduced  the  full  page  advertise- 
ment with  which  the  campaign  was  inaugurated  in  Satur- 
day Evening  Post  on  April  23,  1910.  The  tabulated  re- 
sults are  as  follows: 


Name  of  Magazine 


SATURDAY  EVENING  POST 

Advertising  Report  up  to  December  8th,  1910 
No.   of 


s. 

E. 

P. 

1   Page 

s. 

E. 

P. 

X     ' 

s. 

E. 

P. 

K    ' 

s. 

E. 

P. 

X    ' 

s. 

E. 

P. 

X    ' 

s. 

E. 

P. 

X    ' 

s. 

E. 

P. 

K    ' 

s. 

E. 

P. 

K    ' 

Tota 

Is, 

3  Pag 

es 

Date 

4-23-10 
5-14-10 
6-11-10 
7-23-10 
8-13-10 
9-10-10 
9-24-10 
10-22-10 


,.  Cost 

replies 

733  $2970.00 

742.50 


156 
139 
611 
285 
296 
423 
189 

2823 


742.50 
742.50 
742.50 
742.50 
1485.00 
891.00 

19058.50 


Av.  Cost 

$4 .  05 
4.75 
5.34 
1.21 
2.64 
2.50 
3.51 
4.71 

$3,198 


An  analysis  of  this  record  reveals  no  semblance  of  proof 
of  cumulative  value.  The  records  are  purely  indicative 
of  the  various  pulling  powers  of  the  several  different 
pieces  of  copy  run.  In  but  three  instances  are  dis- 
covered costs  lower  than  the  average  cost.  These  are  in 
July,  August  and  September.  The  lowest  cost  is  that  of 
July  the  23rd,  when  the  best  copy  appeared,  the  "How 
Will  You  Invest  Your  Son?"  copy.  The  last  cost  is 
higher  than  the  first  cost,  and  after  the  appearance  of  the 
best  copy  there  is  a  gradual  increase  in  cost  of  incpiiries 
every  month. 

Mr.  Wilson,  in  furnishing  me  with  the  above  records, 
was  forced  to  admit  the  slight  grounds  afforded  by  them 
for  the  statement  made  by  him  for  them.  In  acknowledg- 
ing this  fact  he  advised  me  that  what  he  really  had  in 
mind  was  the  1911  record,  which  he  assured  me  would 
sustain  his  position. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Bolton,  Mr.  Wilson's  suc- 
cessor, I  have  been  furnished  with  the  results  of  the  Des 


Advertising  a  City 


205 


June  11 


August  13 


EVENING    TOST 


Des  Moines  .Ceti^iTvtyfalk  nM     ^SDes'Moin'es^Gftai^nWlaiKNb^ 


of  chance  elsewhere  are  Certainties 
Moines.     2,500,000  people  in  Iowa— so 

they  average  J200  deposited  in  the 
and  that  their  per  capita  wealth  is 

buy  things  from  Dcs  Moines. 


op|>ortuni(y— you  want  a  ccr- 


yOU-^on't  want 

taint^  Dcs  Moines  has  more  people  of  inde- 
pendent iiliicoinc  than  any  other  city  of  its  size  in 
the  United  Sj^alcs.  Whether  your  money  works  for 
you,  or  you  Utork  with  your  brains  or  your  hands, 
Des  Moines  rsVour  City  of  Certainties. 


CERTAINTY  is  yours  because  you  are  in  the 
midst  of  prosperity.  Opportunity  knocks  when 
the  neighfi^orhtxjd  is  lonesome.  Dcs  Moines  is  the 
City  of  Ccrtainlies.  •  It  is  the  heart  of  the  State  of 
Success.  Des  Moines  is  the  most-talked-aboui  city 
of  its  size  in  the  country.  No  other  city  in  the 
world  is  located,  in  the  center  of  as  rich  and  prosper- 
ous a  trade  territory,  with  no  competition. 
\\ 

MhN  are    rsUMbhing   lic<UK:h«    o(       /-pIlK  Cirairt  Dn  M«nn 
Ihcft  bu-inra  in  DCS  Moton;  Ikry  1     will  hclpyoulo  loolrinl 

•re  iiKxing  their  indmn<^  lo  l>^  II  has  nMhiim  to  scll-n 

iic!«  nn*n  in  the  City  of  CrrtAliK.      tlraiiiaj 
Vhyi    The  tcrriloty  is  (fewktpcd  ^a^-      to  >-ou 

has  frowa  fitly  vears  am]  has  really  uAN 

la<n  is  the  richest  Sule  in  the  Unio«.    .  ""  •■<"""  •»<■  '"»  leminlKs. 
The  acricnhunl  pmrtncls  alow  of  Iowa   \    Wcile  aivl  gel  WEALTH. 
Us<  y»r  ^e  »»th  Vi".ooo.o«..    The    \l  Fill  o«  voor  Cert.iol,  Coopo..    A_l 
loira  hen   can  UVe  her  cjats  to  oiatket      ^,,  „  »{„,  y„„  „„,  ,„  know  or  tell 
(eao-pt  oraoKes),       ^what  yon  w>nl  to  do.     No  charge  foe 
vised  tn  sootheni      our|rrrice«.  eser. 
150,000  left  over.  \S 

T«,,Ai.ii.  I 


&o 


■pvRSMC 


A^ 


fw  farm  tneons  ire  rrquiffl 
in  Iowa.  -HK-y  iiijkM  »  w«ll 
in  ar»l  sold  froai  Drs  Moinrs. 

tn  railwjiyscrnlcTin  Tin  Moines. 


September  10 


October  22 


206  Analytical  Advertising 


& 


Moines  advertising  for  1911.  Before  reproducing  the 
record  I  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  continuity 
of  the  advertising  had  been  seriously  impaired,  as  nothing 
appeared  between  November  and  February.  Moreover 
the  1911  copy  is  noticeably  an  improvement  over  that  of 
the  year  before.  It  is  stronger  in  attention  value,  and 
savors  less  of  the  abstract.  It  is  no  matter  of  opinion,  so 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  that  it  is  better  copy.  The  results 
show  that.  That  it  is  stronger  in  attention  value  I  may 
advance  an  instance  that  was  brought  home  to  me.  In 
seeking  the  various  pieces  of  copy  in  the  different  maga- 
zines I  found  it  necessary  to  hunt  through  the  Saturday 
Evening  Post  twice  for  over  half  of  the  1910  showings. 
In  two  instances  I  was  convinced  the  wrong  dates  had 
been  furnished  me,  and  was  forced  to  hunt  a  third  time 
before  finding  the  copy.  With  the  1911  copy  the  pictures 
irresistibly  drew  me  to  the  proper  copy  the  first  time  I 
came  to  it  in  each  publication,  and  in  two  instances 
caught  my  eye  in  column  form  jn  the  Post,  when  the 
instructions  quoted  quarter  pages.  Both  are  quarter  page 
sizes  in  the  Post,  but  I  was  not  expecting  to  find  these 
two   in   this   form. 

In  this  connection  I  was  surprised  to  find  my  attention 
caught  by  the  two  perpendicular  half  pages  in  Every- 
body's, when  seeking  what  I  had  mis-read  to  be  full  pages. 
This  tendency  of  the  perpendicular  copy  emphasized  the 
increasing  attention  value  of  the  new  1911  copy,  but  the 
tabulated  results  disclosed  an  increase  in  cost  for  this 
half  page  position  almost  four  times  as  great  as  the  page 
copy  in  the  same  publication.  It  would  have  been  ex- 
ceedingly interesting  if  one  of  the  half  pages  had  been 
run  horizontally,  that  a  comparison  might  have  been  made 
that  would  serve  to  sustain  the  previous  point  made  rela- 
tive to  attention  value  and  the  golden  section.  What 
horizontal  copy  loses  in  the  Post  it  gains  by  virtue  of  its 
position  throughout  its  length  next  reading  matter,  which 
the  figures  that  follow  will  make  interesting. 

The  following  chart  shows  the  results  of  the  Des  Moines 
advertising  in  the  Saturday  Evening  Post,  the  World's 
Work    and    Everybody's: 


Advertising  a  City 


207 


This  Aclvertisenieut  is  for  the  Young  Man 
Possih/v  lie  is  )'niir  Son 


-f>  Des  Moines 

'  is  the 

;;',  ';•••;;;   ^.' f    \^,  i    Young  Man 's  City 

sinDcs\l< 


P 


li.llj  ulth,  ,/,  >i,i 
iit'iry. 


NO  ni,m  has  an  mlinitu 


Mn  ^'^;-'"" '"■■" 


THE  yoii'n:  •!  Hi  ..I    mi,  MLi'T   i-iii  tision,  who  «jn;s  to  T'lii 
bru'Mi  hn-.mL,-,  f..r  !k<ti..  t   ,'  ,„!,!  I  now  1     ,       „   , 

Dcs  M'/iiuK  77ic  C'ifY  of  Certainties.  ZlVkelmnu 

T...  ,  .,.•...  are  the  >o.iiii' 


W«  kh>  w  Win  «hr  rxn  t  ( 

and  ad*i*c  htm   'f  )w  v 


/)«•  Moines,  The  City  of  C'erlaiiilics 


The  Greoler  Dcs  Moines 
Oimmillcc 


1  hi  man  il  Im  .^  ii)il\  to  hi  lii^  n 
fl-JSS  shniilJ  lu'<    III   J)ts     Mon. 


Ihs   I/../;,,-.--  7' 


Dts  Moines  Comniitlcc 


»i,s  Moll.c 


Des  Motnes  is  the  Ideal  l^ocation 

fur  \nn  a%  a   Manufacturer 


1  (BXMKJI)  IM  IVll) 

,         ^.11,  un    nui   l),srnl>ut.»n    ,n 

I  .'t  .silM  ihtrc  Wtslull  Ik  a' ><i !..,;,»  pro, 
.Mil  aticntion  to  im  inqiiirv  trom  viiii  fen  mfonn  i 
m  '  tins  mi|)'>»'i"i  Mmstton 


I  if  I  (inuicr  I)es  Moines  Committee 

lis  Cutii»:tm  l^iiz..  //» i    UotwtTi.  fowa 


Characteristic  1911  Copy 


208 


Analytical  Advertising 


REPORT  OF  GREATER  DES  MOINES  COMMITTEE 


ADVERTISING  CAMPAIGN 

Up  to  October  1,  1911 

A,r 

Magazine 

Space 

Date 

No.   of 
replies 

Cost  ^^^.tP^"" 
inq. 

S.  E.  P. 

><Page 

Feb.  4,  1911 

929 

$891.00  %    .96 

S.  E.  P. 

1  column 

Feb.  18,  1911 

1206 

891.00 

74 

S.  E.  P. 

1  column 

Mar.  11,  1911 

347 

891.00 

2.57 

S.  E.  P. 

KPage 

Apr.  8,  1911 

275 

891.00 

3.24 

S.  E.  P. 

100  lines 

May  6,  1911 

97 

594.00 

6.12 

S.  E.  P. 

1  column 

June  3,  1911 

263 

891.00 

3.39 

S.  E.  P. 

1  column 

Sept.  2,  1911 

127 
3244 

891.00 

7.02 

Total 

$5940 . 00 

$1 .  83 

World's  Work 

1  Page 

Feb.,  1911 

102 

$153.12 

$1.50 

"           " 

1  Page 

Mar.,  1911 

99 

153.12 

1.55 

"           " 

1  Page 

May,  1911 

22 

153.12 

6.96 

"           " 

1  Page 

Sept.,  1911 

19 

153.12 

8.05 

" 

1  Page 

Oct.,  1911 

3 
245 

153.12 

51.04 

Total 

$765.60 

$3.12 

Everybody's 

1  Page 

Feb.,  1911 

285 

$467.50 

$1.64 

<( 

1  Page 

April,  1911 

258 

467.50 

1.81 

<< 

>^Page 

June.  1911 

37 

233.75 

6.31 

" 

>^Page 

Sept.,  1911 

35 

233.75 

6.68 

1  Page 

Oct.,  1911 

18 

467.50 

25.97 

Total 


633     $1870.00  $2.95 


The  1911  results  as  above  given  show  a  steadily  in- 
creasing cost  every  month  that  is  too  consistent  to  need 
analysis.  The  absence  of  "cumulative  value"  is  mani- 
fest. Owing  to  the  improvement  in  the  copy  no  com- 
parison with  last  year's  costs  is  even  justifiable,  and  the 
1911  campaign  reflects,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  new 
set  of  advertising  records.  In  justice  to  Mr.  Wilson  it 
may  be  pointed  out  that  the  low  costs  for  the  first  months 
were  the  only  ones  in  his  mind  when  he  compared  1911 
costs  with  1910.  The  obvious  lack  of  comparative  rela- 
tionship between  the  two  campaigns  is  the  point  abso- 
lutely neglected  by  him.  A  four  months'  gap  in  publicity, 
and  the  marked  superiority  of  the  new  copy  make  any 
comparative  analysis  absolutely  futile. 


Advertising  a  City  209 

On  another  page  will  be  found  four  characteristic  pieces 
of  the  1911  copy  reproduced.  The  same  style  of  illustra- 
tion and  attractive  design  were  carried  out  with  all  copy 
used.  Variations  of  the  same  copy  appeared  in  all  of  the 
three  mediums,  slight  differences  being  noticeable,  due  to 
changing  sizes  and  shapes  of  the  copy. 

In  connection  with  the  two  best  pieces  of  copy  used  in 
the  Saturday  Evening  Post  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
each  reflects  the  attractive  features  of  the  only  good  piece 
of  copy  of  1910.  The  copy  of  February  18,  1911,  had 
this  head  line:  "This  Advertisement  is  for  the  Young 
Man — Possibly  He  Is  Your  Son."  The  next  best  piece  is 
that  of  February  4,  the  "Des  Moines  is  the  Young  Man's 
City"  copy.  Eliminating  these  two  human  interest, 
personal  appeal  pieces  of  copy,  the  cost  advances  mate- 
rially. Next  to  one's  self,  nothing  is  so  near  or  personal  as 
your  boy.  Many  parents  are  really  more  interested  in 
their  children  than  in  themselves,  and  the  pulling  power  of 
this  rare  little  touch  has  manifested  itself  in  the  returns  to 
a  degree  that  is  noteworthy. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  I  wish  to  make  myself  per- 
fectly clear  on  one  point,  which  is  my  motive  in  discredit- 
ing a  statement  made  by  my  very  good  friend,  Lucius 
Wilson.  ]VIy  persistence  in  calling  attention  to  his  claim 
of  cumulative  value,  where  the  records  show  none,  is  in 
no  degree  a  personal  reflection.  As  I  thoroughly  ex- 
plained to  Mr.  Wilson,  and  as  I  feel  assured  he  under- 
stands, my  criticism  was  a  general  one  and  not  particular. 
It  is  my  belief  that  the  present  superstition  has  been 
fostered  by  a  lack  of  analysis  on  the  part  of  the  advertiser 
quite  as  much  as  it  is  due  to  calculated  misrepresentation 
on  the  part  of  the  seller  of  advertising.  In  the  present 
instance  a  speaker  endowed  with  implied  authority  makes 
a  statement  that  is  definite  and  direct  to  some  three  hun- 
dred advertisers.  This  statement  is  credited  at  its  face 
value  by  practically  every  man  present,  except  myself. 
Such  statements  have  been  made  at  almost  every  gather- 
ing of  advertising  men  I  ever  attended.  This  is  the  first 
time  I  felt  close  enough  to  the  man  making  the  statement 
to  openly  question  his  basis  forj believing  what  he  said. 
W  ith  a  magnanimity  a  smaller  man  would  entirely  lack, 

14 


210  Analytical  Advertising 

Mr.  Wilson  afforded  me  every  help  with  the  present  rec- 
ord, and  I  can  only  hope  that  my  deductions  have  con- 
vinced him,  as  I  trust  they  may  convince  others,  that  a 
great  degree  of  our  confidence  in  cumulative  value  is  no 
more  stable  than  that  attending  any  character  of  fetish 
worship. 


Waste  in  General  Publicity 

So  strong  is  the  superstition  of  cumulative  value,  that 
any  contemplation  of  its  possible  shortcomings  is  viewed 
as  a  sacrilege  by  those  who  guide  their  advertising  lives  by 
the  light  of  its  luring  beacon.  Those  who  are  forced  to 
admit  the  discrepancies  of  this  doctrine,  when  confronted 
by  proof  of  its  fallacy,  as  applied  to  keyed  advertising, 
still  cling  with  devotional  faith  to  its  great  efficiency  in 
"general  publicity." 

A  philosophical  consideration  of  this  phase  of  advertis- 
ing phenomena  will  therefore  be  pertinent,  if  not  convinc- 
ing, to  the  prejudiced.  As  the  human  mind  is  prone  to  be- 
lieve as  true  any  plausible  theory  of  action,  it  is  easy  to 
understand  the  grip  exerted  by  this  belief,  so  comforting 
to  those  who  would  overcome  a  re^sting  people  by  the 
mere  force  of  riotous  publicity. 

Advertising  history,  meager  and  garbled  at  best,  is 
replete  with  popular  legends,  tending  to  confuse  the  un- 
initiated, and  to  spur  the  successful  to  repeated  orgies  of 
wasteful  expenditures.  Many  are  the  wonderful  stories 
of  advertising  successes,  repeated  with  convincing  details 
of  millions  spent  ere  the  goal  was  reached.  Many  are  the 
glowing  tributes  paid  to  far-seeing  masters  of  publicity, 
content  to  spend,  and  spend  and  spend,  knowing  that  in 
the  end  the  tide  would  turn,  and  the  golden  flood,  blown 
by  the  steady  wind  of  cumulative  value,  spread  its  wealth 
of  advertising  success  at  their  deserving  feet. 

In  proving  to  my  own  perfect  satisfaction  that  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  cumulative  value,  per  se,  in  repeated 
showings  of  advertisements,  it  has  become  necessary  to 
devote  some  thought  to  the  claims  made  for  this  super- 
stition by  those  the  hardest  to  confound.  This  class  of 
believers  embraces  all  who  advertise  on  the  pure  "pub- 
licity" theory.  Any  supposition  entertained  or  advanced 
by  them  presents  a  problem  that  absolutely  defies  solution, 
as  the  very  nature  of  the  conditions  precludes  the  presen- 
tation of  any  definite  proofs.  In  settling  this  question  for 
himself  every  advertiser  is,  moreover,  strongly  biased  by 
desire  to  give  full  credit  to  the  man  who  "guesses"  there 

211 


212  Analytical  Advertising 

is  such  a  thing  as  cumulative  value.  As  an  advertiser  I 
would  hke  nothing  better  than  to  feel  such  a  belief  were 
true,  for  the  proof  of  such  a  doctrine  would  be  comforting 
to  an  incalculable  degree.  The  operation  of  such  a  law, 
were  it  proved  to  exist,  would  excuse  and  compensate 
many  an  error  of  past  performance.  It  would  be  a  steady 
guide  for  all  future  action,  palliating  the  conviction  of 
error  that  now  succeeds  so  many  disastrous  advertising 
gambles. 

Convinced  to  the  contrary,  a  discussion  of  the  several 
phases  will  be  outlined,  fully  aware  that  my  reasons  for  a 
belief  opposed  to  that  of  so  many  savors  as  strongly  of  the 
suppositious  as  do  the  arguments  of  those  whose  conclu- 
sions I  so  strongly  decry. 

The  most  persistent  evidence  claimed  for  the  theory  is 
that  just  noted,  that  so  many  advertising  successes  follow 
a  long  and  tedious  campaign,  unsuccessful  for  a  consider- 
able period,  but  ultimately  profitable  through  sheer  per- 
sistence. As  a  corollary  to  this  argument  instances  are 
frequently  advanced  of  vast  sums  being  spent  in  futile 
attempts  to  secure  public  recognition,  only  to  achieve 
success  after  untold  amounts  have  been  sunk  in  preparing 
the  way.  Many  are  the  veracious  cases  where  such  con- 
ditions have  existed,  but  a  close  scrutiny  of  any  one  or 
more  will  almost  invariably  disclose  a  change  in  policy 
directly  responsible  for  the  final  success.  Spurred  by 
curiosity  I  have  run  down  a  number  of  these  wondrous 
tales.  It  has  been  remarkable  to  note  that  the  stories 
of  the  vast  sums  squandered  have  usually  been  distorted 
beyond  all  semblance  of  truth.  It  is  also  a  noteworthy 
phenomenon  that  the  tide  has  always  appeared  to  turn 
when  real  intelligence  was  injected  into  such  a  campaign. 
An  entire  reversal  in  policy,  such  as  the  "chance"  use  of 
real  pulling  copy  in  the  darkest  hour  before  dawn,  or  the 
interjection  of  a  real  human  idea  into  the  campaign  itself, 
is  usually  found  to  be  the  real  basis  for  the  sudden  success 
of  many  a  long  drawn  out  failure.  I  am  of  the  personal 
opinion  that  most  belated  successes  are  due  to  an  educa- 
tion secured  at  a  most  costly  price,  and  that  the  real  suc- 
cess might  have  been  secured  easier  and  better  on  the 
start,  had  the  eventually  successful  plan  been  the  one  tried 


Waste  in  General  Publicity  213 

first,  rather  than  last.  So  firmly  have  the  sellers  of  ad- 
vertising convinced  their  public  that  vast  sums  must  be 
spent  in  order  to  turn  the  public  tide  that  the  subject  of 
appropriations  seems  to  be  the  most  natural  thing  in  the 
world.  A  business  about  to  embark  on  an  advertising 
campaign  sets  aside  a  certain  amount  it  feels  able  to  lose, 
kissing  the  money  good-by  with  as  few  feehngs  of  regret 
as  it  would  entertain  in  shipping  a  prodigal  to  the  other 
side  of  the  world.  Until  the  last  few  years  it  seemed 
exceptionally  penurious  to  even  ask  where  the  money  was 
to  be  spent,  much  less  to  expect  any  return  until  a  long 
period  of  waiting  had  elapsed.  That  immediate  results 
are  the  real  results,  is  beginning  to  possess  the  advertiser. 
This  is  forcibly  reflected  in  a  masterpiece  of  advertising 
literature  now  being  widely  circulated  by  an  agency 
whose  claims  to  divine  inspiration  are  somewhat  miti- 
gated in  that  a  realization  of  actual  returns  is  emphasized 
as  the  one  desirable  aim,  toward  which  their  every  effort 
is  confidently  directed.  This  same  noteworthy  booklet 
quotes  several  examples  of  the  point  above  mentioned, 
making  clear,  whether  they  so  intend  or  not,  that  the  most 
profitable  results  are  the  quick  and  certainly  predicated 
ones.  That  such  as  quoted  have  inevitably  followed  their 
masterful  grasp  on  a  previously  wobbling  tiller,  is  ob- 
viously the  idea  they  seek  to  convey.  A  master  hand 
wrote  the  book,  which  is  beside  the  issue,  to  be  sure,  for 
the  point  I  make  is  the  number  of  advertising  failures  they 
turned  to  advertising  successes,  not  because  of  the  cumu- 
lative effect  of  the  previously  squandered  fortunes,  but  of 
the  instantaneous  results  following  intelligent  direction. 
Granting  that  millions  are  squandered  before  a  success  is 
assured,  there  is  little  to  prove  by  it  except  the  ignorance 
of  an  establishment  willing  to  spend  foolishly.  A  success- 
ful success  is  greatest  at  its  birth.  Time  and  "cumulative 
value"  increase  costs  and  lessen  profits. 

One  of  the  greatest  causes  for  a  belief  in  this  theory  is 
a  disregard  for  records.  Compare  your  present  cost  of 
doing  business  with  that  of  five  years  ago.  If  you  have 
not  kept  dependable  cost  records,  now  is  a  good  time  to 
begin.  Compare  your  cost  of  today  with  that  of  six 
months  hence.     Advertising  costs  are  increasing  for  every- 


214  Analytical  Advertising 

body.  It  has  notably  increased  for  almost  all  of  us  during 
every  passing  year.  If  there  were  cumulative  value,  costs 
would  decrease.  This  is  so  obvious  that  it  seems  absurd 
to  quote  it,  yet  many  whose  actual  records  show  a  steady 
increase  in  cost  will  argue  longest  that  there  is  cumulative 
value. 

The  favorite  example  of  the  seller  of  space  is  that  of  a 
man  who  has  read  of  an  advertised  product  for  years,  and 
suddenly  having  a  need  for  that  certain  product  unhesi- 
tatingly buys  the  article  he  has  so  many  times  slightingly 
considered  in  hundreds  of  advertisements.  Such  men 
undoubtedly  exist.  Many  buy  in  just  this  way,  but  such 
sales  would  not  pay  for  one-fiftieth  of  the  advertising  car- 
ried to  secure  such  sales.  It  is  the  man  or  woman  who 
reads  an  advertisement  and  almost  at  once  responds  to 
its  charm  that  makes  constant  advertising  profitable.  In 
attempting  to  predicate  a  law  of  human  action  on  such 
occasional  tendencies  it  is  claimed  by  those  who  believe  in 
it  that  such  actions  are  the  inevitable  result  of  what  they 
term  the  workings  of  the  "sub-conscious  mind."  Any 
consideration  of  this  most  interesting  phase  of  psycho- 
logical action  would  necessitate  a  volume  in  itself.  There 
are,  nevertheless,  a  number  of  fairly  certain  established 
facts  in  connection  with  the  sub-conscious  that  may  be 
profitably  considered. 

The  general  theory  of  sub-conscious  mental  activity  as- 
sumes a  brain  centre,  directive  in  character,  and  most  potent 
in  all  human  action.  The  function  of  the  sub-conscious  is 
strictly  an  economical  one.  Its  greatest  function  appears 
to  be  the  direction  of  movements  of  an  habitual  character. 
Such  movements  are  within  the  province  of  the  sub- 
conscious only  after  they  have  been  made  habitual 
through  active  and  voluntary  performance.  By  far  the 
greatest  number  of  our  daily  actions  are  directed  and  made 
harmonious  through  the  workings  of  the  sub-conscious 
mind.  We  are  actually  unconscious  of  the  most  custom- 
ary actions  that  attend  our  movements  throughout  every 
working  day.  It  is  easy  to  secure  a  realization  of  the  vast 
influence  they  exert  by  analyzing  our  movements  of  a 
single  hour.  If  you  will  turn  the  voluntary  attention  to 
your  actions  on  arising,  and  do  nothing  for  a  single  hour 


Waste  in  General  Publicity  215 

except  perform  voluntary  movements,  you  will  appreciate 
the  vast  amount  of  energy  conserved  by  the  action  of  the 
sub-conscious.  You  will  find  it  impossible  to  tell  which 
movements  to  make  on  arising,  and  will  find  it  utterly 
hopeless  to  guess  accurately  just  how  you  put  on  your 
every  garment.  You  will  find  an  uncontrollable  impulse 
to  put  on  one  certain  sock  first,  or  to  stoop  in  a  certain 
position  to  tie  your  shoe,  and  so  on  with  every  little  action 
that  accompanies  your  every  movement.  These  actions 
have  been  rendered  automatic  through  habit,  and  their 
direction  assumed  by  that  portion  of  our  nervous  system 
we  term  the  sub-conscious.  The  seat  of  activity  direct- 
ing such  movements  is  for  the  most  part  the  spinal  cord. 
This  has  been  proved,  in  connection  with  a  large  number 
of  actions,  through  experiments  on  animals,  and  a  good 
many  on  human  beings.  An  excellent  book  on  this  sub- 
ject is  Joseph  Jastrow's  "The  Sub-Conscious." 

With  this  class  of  sub-conscious  activity  the  advertiser 
is  not  primarily  concerned,  as  the  presence  of  a  habit  can- 
not be  subject  to  possession  until  a  certain  number  of 
performances  ensue.  The  reading  of  an  advertisement 
any  number  of  times  cannot  induce  a  buying  habit,  even 
when  the  attention  to  the  reading  is  voluntary. 

The  phenomenon  of  the  sub-conscious,  chosen  by  the 
cumulative  value  believer  as  a  bulwark,  is  that  of  what 
may  be  termed  associative  sub-conscious  action.  Aside 
from  the  proved  centers  of  sub-conscious  activity,  located 
in  the  spinal  cord,  there  is  doubtless  another  center,  or 
centers,  located  possibly  in  the  brain  itself.  The  function 
of  this  activity  is  particularly  noticeable  under  abnormal 
conditions.  It  is  also  highly  important  in  the  normal 
states  of  consciousness.  In  a  previous  chapter  mention 
was  made  of  the  very  narrow  range  of  the  field  of  con- 
sciousness. This  narrowed  field  applies  to  attention  or 
any  other  phase  of  consciousness.  In  focusing  the  atten- 
tion at  any  time  there  is  always  a  range  of  perfect  clarity, 
which  may  be  likened  to  our  perfect  visualization  of  a  cer- 
tain room.  There  is  a  certain  limited  portion  of  the  room 
that  stands  out  with  perfect  clearness,  but  the  exact  point 
at  which  things  cease  to  be  clearly  seen  and  recognized  in 
their  proper  proportions  is  a  hard  matter  to  decide.     As 


216  Analytical  Advertising 

a  matter  of  fact  we  are  more  or  less  conscious  all  the  time 
of  intruding  features  of  interest  that  seem  to  crowd  in 
from  the  edges.  We  seem  to  be  aware  of  certain  objects 
beyond  the  range  of  direct  vision.  Their  outlines  are 
more  or  less  indistinct,  and  our  ideas  of  them  may  be  en- 
tirely foreign  to  the  exact  nature  of  the  objects  arousing 
such  images  in  the  mind.  These  outside  images  are 
prone  to  change  and  fluctuate  constantly,  while  all  the 
time  the  perfect  range  of  vision  has  not  been  changed  at 
all.  We  are  perfectly  conscious  of  the  objects  within  the 
direct  range  of  vision.  We  are  imperfectly  conscious  of 
those  without  the  field  of  consciousness.  The  presence 
of  those  without  the  field  of  consciousness  is  just  as  real 
as  those  within,  and  both  are  integral  portions  of  our 
waking  condition. 

It  is  obvious  that  we  are  able  to  attend  voluntarily  to 
a  very  limited  radius.  It  is  just  as  obvious  that  sensa- 
tions are  millions  in  number  that  might  be  secured  were  the 
field  of  consciousness  one  that  allowed  attention  to  every 
stimulus  surging  in  on  us  from  all  sides.  It  is  a  favorite 
theory  on  the  part  of  a  good  many  that  the  human  mind  is 
receptive  to  all  these  sensations  in  some  mysterious  man- 
ner, and  that  they  get  through  to  the  brain  and  find  ac- 
tual lodgment  there.  Such  a  theory  assumes  that  in 
spite  of  the  concentration  of  the  active  mind,  there  is 
another  mind  that  soaks  up  every  sensation  that  is  cast 
our  way,  and  that  under  the  proper  sub-conscious  stim- 
uli these  sensations  come  to  the  front  and  are  guides  to 
action,  as  sub-conscious  in  character  as  were  their  original 
reception.  The  greatest  faith  placed  in  such  a  remark- 
able condition  is  usually  the  product  of  mental  investi- 
gators susceptible  to  manifestations  they  are  unable  to 
explain  except  from  a  supernatural  basis.  There  are 
many  vagaries  of  perfectly  normal  minds  that  present 
associations  it  is  impossible  to  trace.  A  believer  in  the 
mysterious  power  of  an  all-seeing  sub-conscious  mind  can 
explain  almost  any  manifestation  by  endowing  it  with  a 
power  no  logic  or  reason  could  sustain.  To  many  the 
operation  of  a  "Planchette"  is  an  indication  of  almost 
supernatural  powers,  while  to  others  it  appears  a  "fake," 
pure  and  simple.     As  a  matter  of  fact  it  is  neither,  when 


Waste  in  General  Publicity  217 

conscientiously  operated.  It  is  the  purely  sub-conscious 
operation  of  the  hand  and  arm,  directed  by  lines  of 
association  in  the  sub-conscious  mind.  It  cannot  be  oper- 
ated successfully  unless  the  attention  is  utterly  submerged, 
and  the  power  to  do  this  is  rare.  Those  who  possess  such 
a  power  do  really  remarkable  things,  but  there  is  nothing 
mysterious  about  them,  nor  anything  beyond  the  range  of 
actual  experience. 

It  is  a  favorite  theory  of  a  good  many,  especially  ad- 
vertisers, that  the  repeated  appearance  of  a  certain  piece 
of  copy  will  at  last  have  its  effect  on  the  individual, 
whether  he  consciously  attends  to  it  or  not.  This  theory 
is  that  mentioned  above.  It  assumes  that  the  persistent 
and  repeated  picture  of  a  thing  at  last  seeps  its  way  to 
some  seat  of  consciousness,  either  the  sub-conscious  or  the 
active  conscious.  It  further  assumes  that  if  the  picture 
is  repeated  long  enough  there  is  no  chance  on  earth  for  the 
individual  to  escape  it  eventually.  There  are  absolutely 
no  proofs  of  any  kind  to  substantiate  any  such  belief.  If 
there  are  any  I  have  failed  to  find  them.  There  are  any 
number  of  weird  theories,  as  numerous  as  fortune  tellers, 
but  no  proofs. 

There  are  plenty  of  proofs  that  a  sub-conscious  mind 
exists,  and  that  it  directs  the  action  of  human  beings 
aside  from  the  habitual  operations  everyone  recognizes 
and  admits.  The  manner  of  its  exact  operation  is  still  to 
be  demonstrated  scientifically,  but  it  is  safe  to  prophesy 
that  it  will  be.  Dreams  are  a  manifestation  of  this  sub- 
conscious activity,  and  they  are  being  rapidly  dissected 
and  understood  in  a  manner  to  throw  a  great  deal  of  light 
on  an  interesting  subject. 

The  explanation  of  the  sub-conscious  given  by  Professor 
Jastrow  is  quite  likely  to  be  as  near  the  true  solution  as 
any.  It  certainly  has  the  quality  of  rational  and  logical 
common  sense  so  foreign  to  a  great  many  of  the  trans- 
cendental meanderings  now  prevalent. 

Jastrow"  endows  the  normal  mind  with  a  sub-conscious, 
directing  center.  This  center  directs  many  actions  that 
would  prove  burdensome  if  necessity  demanded  conscious 
attention  to  everything  we  did.  In  this  sub-conscious 
mind  are  stored  the  results  of  all  experience,  colored  to  be 


218  Analytical  Advertising 

sure,  by  ever  changing  associations,  but  always  there  in 
hazy  if  not  definite  and  conclusive  outline.  These 
thoughts  are  what  I  may  term  "storage  ideas,"  and  they 
are  subject  to  the  laws  of  association  in  a  large  degree  sim- 
ilar to  those  of  conscious  activity.  In  order  to  grant  the 
possession  of  a  single  idea  in  the  sub-conscious  mind  it 
must  first  be  granted  that  such  an  idea  at  some  time 
entered  the  mind  through  the  channel  of  direct  attention. 
That  is,  no  idea  can  become  stored  in  the  mind,  or  be  sub- 
ject to  recall  either  voluntarily  or  by  the  sub-conscious 
mind  unless  it  first  passes  through  the  portals  of  voluntary 
attention.  Such  a  belief  in  the  sub-conscious  mind  is  to 
me  the  only  sane  or  logical  solution  of  the  entire  problem. 
It  appears  trite  to  repeat  that  you  can  take  nothing  out 
unless  it  went  in.  Unless  the  mind  actively  attends  to  an 
idea  there  is  small  chance  for  any  one  to  prove  a  mysterious 
channel  of  entry,  that  is  contrary  to  every  known  and 
proved  fact  about  the  human  brain. 

If  this  position  of  Professor  Jastrow's  is  correct  it  sim- 
plifies the  cumulative  value  theory  to  a  nicety.  Unless  an 
individual  is  consciously  impressed  with  your  advertise- 
ment there  is  no  chance  for  action  from  him.  It  is  a  tru- 
ism that  repetition  of  a  sensation  breeds  heedlessness  to  it. 
Therefore  unless  at  some  one  time  an  individual  sees  an 
advertisement,  is  impressed  with  it,  and  desires  to  possess 
the  article  it  describes,  and  wants  it  then,  the  greatest 
power  of  that  advertisement,  for  that  individual,  abso- 
lutely passes.  To  continue  the  advertisement,  hoping  to 
get  that  individual  through  repetition,  is  downright  folly. 
To  continue  an  argument  relative  to  such  a  subject  is  a 
waste  of  time.  Those  who  do  not  grant  these  premises 
will  never  believe  it.  Those  who  would  convince  them- 
selves may  read  Jastrow,  Sidis,  or  any  number  of  author- 
ities. There  is  little  but  superstition  and  mysticism  to 
any  other  viewpoint. 

A  characteristic  of  the  associations  manifested  by  the 
sub-conscious  mind  is  that  of  a  mixed  or  incomplete  ex- 
pression. The  action  so  directed  is  quite  likely  to  be  ap- 
parently foreign  to  the  stimulus  that  occasioned  it.  From 
an  advertiser's  standpoint  the  associations  that  prompt  a 
final  action  through  the  sub-conscious  mind  are  very  un- 


Waste  in  General  Publicity  219 

reliable,  and  likely  to  be  anything  but  profitable.  iVn  in- 
stance of  this  pecuHarity  of  the  sub-conscious  developed 
in  my  personal  experience  in  June,  1911. 

At  the  Buffalo  banquet  of  the  Affiliated  Advertising 
Clubs  I  devoted  a  brief  ten  minutes  to  an  attack  on  the 
cumulative  value  superstition.  One  of  the  subsequent 
speakers  at  the  dinner  took  grave  exceptions  to  my  utter- 
ances on  the  subject.  I  had  chanced  to  compare  my  rela- 
tively short  stature  with  that  of  our  tall  friend,  Tom 
Dockrell,  and  had  mentioned  my  inches  *'in  my  Hole 
Proofs.'"  The  advertising  counsellor  who  followed  glee- 
fully pounced  on  this  expression  as  a  proof  that  cumula- 
tive value  had  sold  me  "Hole  Proofs,"  and  took  a  great  deal 
of  satisfaction  in  confounding  an  argument  so  repugnant  to 
his  attitude  of  mind.  I  was  asked  later  whether  I  really 
wore  "Hole  Proofs."  I  was  unable  to  say  truthfully,  but 
proceeded  to  find  out.  The  development  is  a  beautiful 
example  of  the  unreliable  associations  of  the  sub-con- 
scious mind. 

My  wife  buys  my  socks,  a  dozen  pairs  at  a  time,  and  on 
returning  home  I  asked  her  whether  I  was  wearing  "Hole 
Proofs"  or  not.  She  advised  that  I  was  not,  and  told  me 
her  experience.  A  year  ago  she  had  seen  an  advertise- 
ment that  guaranteed  hosiery,  and  called  at  a  store  to 
buy  me  that  kind.  She  asked  for  "  Wear-for-E ver " 
socks,  and  described  them  to  the  clerk  as  the  kind  that 
furnished  coupons  good  for  a  new  pair  for  every  worn  out 
one.  The  clerk  had  never  heard  of  such  socks,  but 
showed  her  "Hole  Proofs,"  with  the  exact  kind  of  coupon 
she  described.  These  she  bought.  A  year  elapsing  she 
called  at  the  same  store  for  another  supply,  but  could  not 
secure  my  size  in  the  kind  she  previously  purchased, 
namely,  "Hole  Proofs."  The  clerk  advised  her,  however, 
that  he  had  an  equally  good  sock  known  as  the  "Ever- 
Wear,"  which  was  the  kind  she  evidently  had  in  mind  the 
first  time,  for  which  the  clerk  had  easily  substituted  "Hole 
Proofs."  I  was  therefore  wearing  in  Buffalo,  not  "Hole 
Proofs,"  purchased  through  any  cumulative  value  in  their 
advertising,  but  an  entirely  different  make,  purchased 
after  a  year's  wear  of  "Hole  Proofs."  The  tendency  of  the 
sub-conscious  mind  in  the  first  purchase  was  distorted, 


220  Analytical  Advertising 

from  the  advertised  name  "Ever- Wear"  to  "Wear-for- 
Ever,"  and  both  sales  were  made  through  the  recommen- 
dations of  the  clerk,  which  practically  nullified  the  adver- 
tising's impulse  each  time.  Such  manifestations  are 
typical  ones,  and  nullify  most  advertising  that  does  not 
occasion  a  direct  and  certain  sale  the  first  time  it  arouses 
attention  and  interest. 

Any  study  of  the  sub-conscious  mind  is  productive  in 
the  conviction  that  a  certain  percentage  of  human  action 
is  due  to  impulses  secured  through  repeated  stimuli.  To 
predicate  such  results  with  any  degree  of  certainty  it  is 
necessary  to  have  present  an  abnormal  state  of  con- 
sciousness. The  average  mind  is  normal.  The  abnor- 
mal condition  is  always  in  the  minority.  Moreover,  the 
abnormal  state  is  a  very  fluctuating  one,  and  subject  to 
a  reversion  to  normal  without  warning.  It  is  quite  pos- 
sible that  a  certain  degree  of  successful  advertising  is  due 
to  cumulative  effect  on  just  this  class  of  human  beings. 
It  is  hardly  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  is  a  condition 
sufiiciently  constant  and  stable  to  warrant  an  expectation 
of  results  in  profitable  average  returns.  Some  advertising 
appeals  to  the  abnormal  at  all  times.  Patent  medicine 
advertising  is  an  example  of  this.  For  the  general  adver- 
tiser to  expect  the  law  of  averages  to  yield  him  such  a 
profit  is  certainly  a  false  hope. 

As  intimated  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  actual 
proofs  of  the  results  of  repeated  appeals  are  very  meager 
and  unsatisfactory.  The  conditions  that  exist  with  a  mail 
order  business,  in  the  matter  of  following  up  inquiries, 
compare  favorably  with  the  attempt  of  the  general  ad- 
vertiser to  stimulate  sales  through  repeated  showings  of 
copy.  With  mail  order  businesses  an  element  not 
present  in  general  publicity  obtains,  namely,  that  their  re- 
peated letters  or  advertising  material  fall  on  more  recep- 
tive ground  than  do  general  appeals.  In  this  respect  a 
record  of  such  results  should  throw  a  profitable  light  on 
the  workings  of  the  average  mind  when  stimulated  by  re- 
peated appeals.  That  each  recipient  is  presumably  inter- 
ested gives  the  mail  order  man  an  advantage.  If,  in  spite 
of  this  advantage,  the  response  proves  to  be  a  decreasing 
quality,  the  proof  is  not  only  of  comparative  value,  but 


Waste  in  General  Publicity 


221 


reasonable  grounds  for  deducing  that  the  general  law 
works  to  greater  disadvantage  to  the  general  advertiser. 
The  records  of  such  results  are  the  basis  for  any  mail 
order  success.  It  is  astounding  to  learn  how  few  keep 
such  records,  but  those  who  do  may  find  a  parallel  with 
the  results  about  to  be  shown.  The  American  Collection 
Service  keeps  an  accurate  record  of  the  pulling  power  of 
every  letter,  both  regular  and  special.  In  the  regular  fol- 
low-up five  letters  are  used,  which  are  mailed  at  intervals 
of  fifteen  days.  With  each  letter  more  or  less  elaborate 
booklets  are  sent.  After  the  expiration  of  the  five  regular 
letters  a  special  letter  is  mailed  about  every  three  months. 
It  usually  takes  about  three  months  to  discover  a  letter 
that  will  pull  sufficiently  well  on  a  test  list  to  warrant 
sending  to  the  entire  number.  If  the  showing  on  a  test 
letter  is  profitable  the  entire  list  is  sent  the  same  letter, 
with  an  average  return  in  keeping  with  the  average  of  the 
test.  The  record  that  follows  is  a  typical  one,  and  will 
reflect  the  same  average  returns  of  any  other  lot  that 
might  be  chosen  from  our  records. 


Number 

No.  of 

Amount 

Per- 

Order of  Letters 

mailed 

sales 

cash 

centage 

First 

28,576 

368 

$7,844 

.012  plus 

Second 

27,623 

443 

8,882 

.015     " 

Third 

27,202 

303 

5,736 

.011     " 

Fourth 

26,966 

288 

5,166 

.0106  " 

Fifth 

21,962 

233 

3,512 

.0106  " 

Sixth 

12,101 

161 

2,282 

.018     " 

Seventh 

10,140 

137 

2,109 

.013     " 

Eighth 

8,558 

38 

460 

.0046  " 

Ninth 

1,205 

4 

57 

.0033  " 

Tenth 

2,808 

0 

0 

Eleventh 

23,307 

90 

1,569 

.0038  " 

Twelfth 

2,546 

16 

267 

.0062  " 

Thirteenth 

942 

7 

77 

.0074  " 

Fourteenth 

945 

3 

55 

.0031  " 

Fifteenth 

2,644 

19 

323 

.0071   " 

Sixteenth 

29,607 

155 

3,057 

.0052  " 

Seventeenth 

1,828 

6 

30 

.0032  " 

Eighteenth  letter 

never  used 

Nineteenth 

30,983 

78 

1,434 

.0025  " 

Twentieth 

16,102 

63 

1,188 

.0039  " 

Twenty-first 

15,824 

15 

239 

.0009  " 

222  iVnalytical  Advertising 

The  last  two  are  the  same  letter,  the  "  twenty -first "  going 
to  a  list  two  years  older  than  those  sent  the  "twentieth." 

It  is  not  necessary  to  point  out  the  decreasing  returns 
due  to  repeated  appeals.  The  same  tendency  of  any 
series  of  repeated  appeals  proves  the  fallacy  of  the  theory 
that  repeated  stimuli  cause  a  final  surrender  of  the  indi- 
vidual. Some  are  prone  to  be  influenced  by  repeated  ap- 
peals. Otherwise  it  would  not  pay  to  appeal  more  than 
once  to  any  one.  The  point  of  the  matter  is  this:  The 
strongest  appeal  is  the  first,  other  things  being  equal.  As 
appeals  are  repeated,  fewer  and  fewer  respond.  This 
certainly  is  a  law.  If  it  is  a  law,  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
cumulative  value  in  publications. 

Another  set  of  letter  records  I  am  able  to  show  reflects 
the  same  tendencies  as  those  just  quoted.  The  following 
are  results  from  the  kitchen  device  whose  advertising 
results  are  quoted  in  a  preceding  chapter.  The  varying 
number  of  letters  sent  from  time  to  time  needs  slight  ex- 
plaining. When  I  undertook  straightening  out  this  bus- 
iness no  records  of  any  kind  had  been  kept.  I  found 
several  thousand  names  had  been  sent  one,  two  and  even 
three  letters  at  irregular  intervals.  After  digging  out  the 
inquiries,  I  started  a  series  of  letters  on  each  lot,  and  from 
time  to  time  discovered  additional  names  to  which  I 
started  the  various  letters  as  the  names  turned  up.  The 
names  of  the  previous  record  had  each  one  secured  every 
letter  of  the  series,  had  the  test  on  any  one  letter  proved 
profitable.  In  the  following  record  I  can  not  vouch  for 
this  element  of  continuity,  owing  to  the  conditions  just  ex- 
plained. The  general  results  in  percentage  form,  how- 
ever, reflect  the  principle  in  the  same  manner: 


No. 

Sales 

Cash 

Percentage 

First  letter 

4,109 

166 

$2,522.35 

.04    plus 

Second  letter 

4,821 

83 

1,209.80 

.017  " 

Third  letter 

5,700 

78 

1,188.76 

.013  " 

Fourth  letter 

9,577 

145 

2,283.44 

.015  " 

Fifth  letter 

7,286 

66 

1,005.25 

.009  " 

Sixth  letter 

8,051 

71 

978.10 

.008  " 

Seventh  letter 

3,127 

7 

102.50 

.002  " 

Eighth  letter 

823 

7 

85.00 

.008  " 

Waste  in  General  Publicity 


223 


Before  closing  this  chapter  I  wish  to  show  a  final  record 
that  reflects  the  condition  of  continuity,  in  large  space,  at 
an  exorbitant  price,  run  consecutively  for  a  period  of 
six  months.  I  will  name  neither  the  publication  nor  the 
advertiser.  The  magazine  in  this  instance  charges  $100 
a  page  and  is  a  "class"  publication.  The  page  is  longer 
than  the  standard  size,  but  narrower.  The  number  of 
lines  would  be  about  the  same  as  a  regular  standard  size. 
The  publication  is  a  weekly,  thus  affording  a  most  excel- 
lent opportunity  to  prove  the  existence  of  cumulative 
value,  if  any  existed.     The  record  is  as  follows: 


1911 
April  12 
May  24 
May  31 
June  7 
June  14 
June  21 
June  28 
July  5 
Julv  12 
July  19 
July  26 
August  2 
August  9 
August  16 
August  23 
August  30 
September  6 
September  13 
September  20 
September  27 


Page        8  inquiries     Cost,  $100     Returns  nothing 

Page 

Page       3  inquiries     Cost,  $200     Returns  $20 

Page 

Page 

Page 

Page      11  inquiries     Cost,  $400     Returns,  $32.50 

Page 

Page 

Page 

Page      16  inquiries     Cost,  $400     Returns,  $20 

Page 

Page 

Page 

Page 

Page      13  inquiries     Cost,  $500     Returns,  $54.50 

Page 

Page 

Page 

Page      10  inquiries     Cost,  $400    Returns,  $37.50 


If  you  are  an  advertiser,  give  these  figures  a  little  thought- 
ful analysis.  If  you  are  inclined  to  have  any  faith  in 
cumulative  value  of  publications,  seek  your  records  for  the 
slightest  proof  of  its  real  existence.  If  you  find  any,  send 
it  to  me.  I  have  yet  to  see  or  learn  of  any  actual  proof 
that  will  convince  any  but  the  prejudiced  that  cumulative 
value  is  not  a  myth.  If  I  am  right,  it  is  time  to  explode  a 
fallacy  that  is  draining  millions  of  dollars  from  the  pockets 
of  the  ultimate  consumer.  He  foots  the  bills,  not  us,  but 
it  is  time  to  rectify  a  great  evil.     Some  are  palpably  guilty. 


Conclusion 

Hungering  for  both  knowledge  and  experience  I  have 
devoted  many  days  and  weeks  to  gratuitous  advertising 
labor.  Realizing  possibilities,  I  have  investigated  a  great 
number  of  advertising  propositions,  hoping  that  among 
them  I  might  discover  the  "Great  Idea,"  which  is  an  ideal 
I  trust  some  day  to  find. 

This  investigating  spirit,  spurred,  it  may  be,  by  the  hope 
of  personal  profit,  has  put  me  in  touch  with  many  degrees 
of  advertising  efiiciency.  It  has  permitted  rare  oppor- 
tunities for  analyzing  many  causes  of  failure.  The  great- 
est of  these  appears  to  be  ignorance.  The  novitiate  pos- 
sesses an  abiding  faith  in  the  potency  of  advertising  that 
spurs  him  to  almost  any  absurd  length,  provided  it  be 
called  "advertising."  This  child-like  adolescence  is  not 
restricted  to  the  beginner,  and  its  blind  faith  has  no 
counterpart  in  any  other  serious  business  of  life.  It  is 
often  pitiful  to  analyze  the  most  simple  factors  of  an 
advertising  failure,  which  were  simply  incomprehensible 
to  the  victim. 

Aside  from  fundamental  deficiencies  that  are  insuperable, 
the  most  glaring  evil  of  the  unsuccessful  advertiser  is  a  lack 
of  method.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  discover  a  busi- 
ness expending  large  sums  of  money  in  advertising,  with 
no  more  record  of  it  than  the  entry  of  the  payments  to  an 
advertising  agency.  It  is  the  shame  of  a  good  many 
agencies  that  they  do  not  insist  on  records  being  kept  by 
the  advertiser.  It  is  not  hard  to  understand  why  some 
neglect  such  important  training,  but  there  is  no  excuse  for 
its  prevalence. 

Much  may  be  learned  from  failures,  but  nothing  more 
important  than  the  vital  necessity  of  dependable  records. 
Constantly  fluctuating  as  is  all  business,  striking  similarity 
may  be  traced  in  all  fundamental  tendencies,  if  records, 
properly  kept,  be  studied.  Careful  method  in  record 
keeping,  with  conscientious  deductions  from  the  evidence 
they  are  bound  to  afford,  will  serve  to  fortify  many  a 
struggling  advertiser. 

That  a  careful  study  of  accurate  records  will  substan- 
tiate many  of  the  points  I  have  made  in  previous  chapters 

15  225 


226  Analytical  Advertising 

is  illustrated  by  an  article  that  appeared  in  Printers'  Ink, 
of  November  9tli.  It  is  an  extract  from  an  address  by 
S.  Roland  Hall,  of  the  International  Correspondence 
Schools,  whose  access  to  dependable  records  and  his 
analysis  of  them  are  both  unmistakable.  The  whole 
article  is  well  worth  reading,  but  I  will  reproduce  only 
short  portions  of  it: 

"I  have  been  asked  if  our  advertising  hasn't  a  great  deal 
of  cumulative  effect.  Perhaps  I  will  surprise  you  by  say- 
ing that  I  think  the  cumulative  effect  is  small.  I  think 
that  considerable  of  the  cumulative  effect  idea  is  a  delu- 
sion. No  doubt  we  get  a  fair  number  of  enrolments  from 
people  who  saw  our  advertisements  long  ago,  but  did  not 
act,  and  who  were  later  induced  to  act  by  special  circum- 
stances, but  in  general,  I  think  we  fail  if  a  man  reads  a 
single  advertisement  of  ours  and  then  fails  to  act,  for  bear 
in  mind,  that  we  have  a  right  to  expect  him  to  send  in  his 
inquiry. 

"It  sounds  interesting  to  talk  about  the  effect  of  adver- 
tising being  like  the  drop  of  water  that  keeps  falling  until 
it  wears  away  the  stone,  but  if  you  believe  in  cumulative 
effect  for  a  business  like  ours,  please  tell  me  why  inquiries 
are  costing  us  a  little  more  all  the  while  instead  of  becoming 
cheaper. 

"I  have  given  you  some  opinions;  now  let  me  read  you 
some  figures.  Here  are  the  number  of  inquiries  received 
from  a  printers'  magazine  from  a  series  of  advertisements 
that  I  prepared  myself.  I  read  the  returns  from  the  first 
month  the  advertisement  appeared  to  the  last:  15,  5, 
13,  17,  14,  28,  11,  7,  10,  10,  5,  15,  8,  3,  20,  6,  5,  5.  If  the 
effect  was  cumulative,  why  was  there  not  a  steady  in- 
crease instead  of  the  rise  and  fall  that  this  record  shows? 

"And  to  show  you  that  the  returns  were  due  more  to 
the  strength  of  the  individual  pieces  of  copy  than  to  any- 
thing else  I  will  tell  you  that  the  advertisement  that  pro- 
duced the  twenty-eight  inquiries  was  also  the  one  that, 
repeated  later,  produced  the  twenty  inquiries.  We  have 
seen  pretty  clearly  in  our  own  experience  that  a  good  deal 
of  cumulative  effect  is  merely  the  effect  of  old  advertise- 
ments, belated  returns  from  them,  I  mean;  the  key  num- 
bers show  that  unmistakably." 


Conclusion  227 

The  thoughtful  advertiser,  whether  he  is  one  who  keys 
his  results  or  not,  is  the  man  who  deals  in  averages.  The 
good  advertiser  is  not  the  one  who  guesses,  but  rather  the 
one  who  proves.  It  is  almost  as  easy  to  prove  as  it  is 
to  guess,  and  immeasurably  more  profitable.  The  rule 
of  good  advertising  is  the  rule  of  tests. 

This  great  rule  is  subject  to  many  reversals  and  often 
needs  the  unprejudiced  criticism  of  the  man  with  a  view- 
point not  restricted  by  the  narrow  vision  of  the  advertiser 
himself.  An  idea  from  an  outsider  may  solve  a  problem 
the  man  at  the  desk  fails  to  analyze  properly.  One  of  the 
keenest  advertising  counsellors  in  the  country  cites  an 
instance  of  this  that  serves  to  prove  the  value  of  an  out- 
sider's viewpoint.  One  of  the  largest  ready-made  clothing 
houses  sells  from  catalogues.  A  number  of  garments  are 
subjected  to  elaborate  tests  before  being  advertised  in 
their  mammoth  catalogue.  In  a  recent  campaign  these 
tests  had  appeared  conclusive  to  them,  but  orders  failed 
to  result.  The  advertising  expert  being  called  in  consul- 
tation to  discover  the  cause,  requested  an  outline  of  the 
test.  He  was  told  that  several  hundred  women  had  been 
asked  to  choose  from  a  dozen  waists  the  one  that  appeared 
to  them  the  best  for  the  money.  The  waist  chosen  by 
the  greatest  number  from  each  of  these  tests  was  pictured 
and  skillfully  advertised  in  the  catalogue,  but  several, 
heavily  stocked  on  account  of  the  favor  produced  by  the 
test,  failed  to  sell.  The  expert  asked  that  the  test  be 
performed  in  his  presence,  which  was  done.  He  com- 
pared the  pictures  of  the  waists  with  the  originals  and 
immediately  solved  the  problem.  The  pictures  of  the 
failures  only  slightly  resembled  the  waists  themselves. 
He  advised  having  the  test  performed  in  future  by  having 
the  women  choose  from  the  pictures,  and  not  from  the 
waists,  which  solved  a  problem  that  had  cost  the  institu- 
tion thousands  of  dollars. 

Such  little  points  arise  in  every  business.  Too  proud  to 
ask  advice,  many  advertisers  pocket  the  loss  and  charge  it 
to  bad  luck.  The  help  that  one  advertiser  is  capable  of 
affording  another  rarely  depends  on  a  similarity  of  pur- 
suits. Most  problems  are  problems  of  the  mind,  where  a 
fresh,  unworried  perspective  is  more  valuable  than  a  har- 


228  Analytical  Advertising 

ried  technical  one.  For  such  aids  every  advertiser  should 
feel  free  to  call  in  his  fellow  professional  worker.  It  will 
be  found  to  the  surprise  of  many  that  we,  as  advertisers, 
possess  few  if  any  real  secrets.  Why  maintain  this  occult 
mysticism  longer? 

The  ever  increasing  waste  in  advertising  is  an  economic 
factor  of  no  mean  importance.  Whatever  its  sum  may 
be,  each  advertiser  is  conscious  of  a  contribution  to  it. 
If  the  advertiser  really  paid  the  bill  the  problem  would  be 
his  alone,  and  the  loss  but  a  charge  against  his  individual 
profits.  It  is  the  consumer,  however,  that  foots  the  bills, 
and  every  useless  page,  and  every  wasteful  repetition  are 
added  burdens  to  the  high  cost  of  living. 

Skillfully  sold,  hundreds  of  publications  continue  to 
exist  and  thrive  by  virtue  of  a  superstitious  standard, 
while  the  dear  public  pays,  little  suspecting  the  real  cause 
of  its  ever  increasing  tribute.  It  is  a  specious  argument 
that  advertising  reduces  the  cost  of  selling.  That  it  may 
do  so  is  certain.  To  attain  such  a  result  the  advertiser 
must  lessen  the  waste,  which  means  an  ever  deeper  analysis 
of  conditions,  and  a  realization  of  fundamentals  quite 
within  the  scope  of  his  skill  and  power. 


JOSEPH  MACK  PRINTING  HOUSE 
DETROIT 


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